“If learning is living, then the truth is a state-of-mind.” – Son Volt

Love that line.  Comes from the song ‘Tear Stained Eye,’ from Son Volt’s debut album Trace. Seems to speak to the idea that reality is made up based on our own experiences. What can I say?, this is where my mind is at. Summer in the desert will have an effect on a man.

Along those lines, while I’m feeling wily.  Having grown up in Minnesota, I am no stranger to harsh weather.  I’ll never forget sitting in the freezing cold waiting for my Pop’s old Ford Fiesta to warm up and saying, ‘Why do we live here?’ Kind of made a pact with-myself that when I could move, I would, and I did.  Arrived in the desert almost 15 years ago.

Having done a fair amount of work outside during the hot desert months, have come to believe that the heat is more stifling than the cold.  Really, can see why so many of the cowboy types are hardened; the heat will make a man out of anyone.

In the cold you can generally warm-up and be productive, even while still outside. And I’ll always tip my hat to the ingenuity of my fellow ‘Sotans  and their long standing ability to  make ice cream out of ice. Have long thought they are such a productive people because if they aren’t prepared for winter, they will die.  Tends to be motivating.

The heat is different. If you are in it, you are in it.  We don’t have magical suits that we can put on that will cool our bodies down (though I may start working on one. Think air-conditioned snow-mobile suits, eh?) No, in the desert you just have to suck it up. Do what you got to do and get cool.  Because the thing is, the old Ford Fiesta did heat up and as much as that moment of shivering is burned in my mind, I don’t remember 5 minutes later because I had become comfortable.

On the other hand, I do remember getting heat stroke a couple years back and hurting for the next week or so because my body was having a hard time recovering.

With that, to all of you that are here for the summer, my hat’s off to you. You get a badge of toughness in my book.  As for the rest of you that have to get to cooler weather, I got just one thing to say: Make sure you call me to check on your property while your gone.

Stay cool everyone!