The Weather Mob are forecasting high temperatures for Thursday. (see below) In themselves the high temperatures are not a problem and not unusual: it is summer after all. But high temperatures after 5 inches of rain IS a problem because that brings excessive humidity. Though once again – not unusual. But I have two very pregnant pigs who totally ignore their fans preferring to sleep like the dogs in the drafts from the doors. Dogs always know the best places to sleep. The poor old things are uncomfortable. Pregnancy and Heat and not comfortable together.
Storms are, of course, still in the forecast but that is expected too and we see nothing severe. Touch wood please.
We have a baby staying in the house so I have caved in and started up the Air Conditioning and gosh it is lovely inside. But going in and out is brutal. Though I still refuse to actively complain about the heat – this is only short term – Winter will return you know!
I am freezing chopped up watermelon for the chicks to peck at and the big chickens will be let out of the coop to wander in under the trees in the day time. Both will have ice in their waters a couple of times a day. The cows will stand in their waters under the trees and the pigs in their wallows. The pregnant pigs (and Sheila) will get Gatorade and water to encourage hydration (they love Gatorade it is a great pick-me-up for stressed pigs). The first milking of the day will be earlier and the second milking of the day will be a bit later when it is a bit cooler. I will keep a close watch.
For your information here is the notification of hot weather.
Excessive Heat Watch
ILZ008-010-019-021-023-032-033-039-200500-
/O.EXT.KLOT.EH.A.0001.160721T1700Z-160723T2000Z/
OGLE-LEE-LA SALLE-GRUNDY-KANKAKEE-LIVINGSTON-IROQUOIS-FORD-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…OREGON…DIXON…OTTAWA…MORRIS…
KANKAKEE…PONTIAC…WATSEKA…PAXTON
348 PM CDT TUE JUL 19 2016
…EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON…
* TEMPERATURE…MID TO UPPER 90S THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. MID 90S
POSSIBLE ON SATURDAY.
* MAXIMUM HEAT INDEX VALUES…105 TO 115 DEGREES THURSDAY AND
FRIDAY…102 TO 107 DEGREES ON SATURDAY.
* IMPACTS…TEMPERATURES THIS HIGH COULD LEAD TO HEAT RELATED
ILLNESSES WITH PROLONGED EXPOSURE. THE ELDERLY…SMALL
CHILDREN AND PETS ARE ESPECIALLY SUSCEPTIBLE. PLAN AHEAD. HAVE
A COOL PLACE TO SHELTER FROM THE HEAT. AVOID OUTDOOR ACTIVITY
DURING THE AFTERNOON.
Much ado about summer.
Plan ahead – my favourite piece of advice. But it is not Thursday yet and compared to some other areas of the United States not even that hot. Today we garden, garden, garden. It is Sam and Axels last day tomorrow so we are not starting any new projects, just gardening and tidying and planning the last dinner!.
I hope you have a lovely day.
cecilia
The Kitchen's Garden 
53 responses to “Not Thursday Yet”
Hot here too, but nowhere near as hot as you guys! 😀
after it is hot it just more hot – it will not last.. c
It’s cool and foggy on our California coast but hot inland. You take great care of your animals, try to stay cool.
I remember driving through Nevada in the middle of the summer without air conditioning , it was brutal. I wrapped wet towels around my head and neck.
Sounds awful.. c
It was but I was young and it was an adventure for me.
after our lovely wet winter we have so far cooler temps- no complaints here- take care!
I like it hot. Don’t use air conditioning. My father would have the house so cold you had to put on winter clothes inside to not freeze. I spent almost all my time out on our screened front porch which was lovely and shaded and covered the vent (it was central AC), stuffed a towel under the door, had both windows open and a fan and was quite comfy at night. I end up getting sick when forced to be in air conditioned spaces for prolonged periods of time. I’m sure you and the critters will manage fine.
Yes we are fine without it – and it is only for a few days – soon all the dinner guests will be gone and we will be back to normal.
We are also under a heat advisory for Thursday and Friday. There’s no air conditioning in our house either, you just slow down. I find air conditioning difficult to live with I think because I am in and out of the house a gazillion (it seems) times a day. That and the fact that the house is sealed up all winter, I just hate to close it all up in the summer too! I do my best not to complain about the heat, I save the complaining for winter. The only advantage I see for air conditioning is to dry things out. I do not care for everything feeling tacky.
Funny your pigs like the gatorade. I much prefer switchel, with the honey and ginger and cider vinegar it has the same effect without the additional ingredients gatorade has but it is something you either love or hate.
There is a hobby farm not far from here that has, in addition to mini horses and donkeys and goats, a camel. I don’t know what they do with it but I kind of feel sorry for it, living it’s life alone in a paddock.
I have never heard of switchel – I will look for it. I grab gatorade because it is easy to find in an emergency.
It’s not something you buy, it’s something you make. In a half gallon of water add 1/2 cup cider vinegar and 1/2 cup honey or molasses. Put a few slices of ginger in and stir well. It’s very quenching and apparently was used in the past by farmers, particularly when doing hot dusty jobs (like haying).
Gosh – ok – will do!
Heat wave in the UK too. No air con here (we’re not known for our sunshine!) so my baby has been sleeping in just his nappy. Those poor pregnant piggies!
The pigs are happy as larks sleeping in front of their fans – not unlike your nappy baby i am sure!
The frozen melon sounds great as does the Gatorade. I had to covert back to Celsius. Oh boy that’s hot!
Yes – but not too hot – still workable – i don’t know what they are all complaining about.. c
You’re funny .. There is only one of you! Lovely girl