In The Heat of the Night

Do you remember that old television series about a Mississippi sheriff of a fictional town called Spartica? It was always hot. Their skins appeared shiny from sweat and occasionally you could even see a removal of hats and brow wiping. Well, right now in Douglasville, there is even heat in the night. After the wonderful coolness of July, we find ourselves actually sweating when we go outside to get in the car. Even though the seats in my car are leather not vinyl, they heat up pretty well during the day so that I sit gingerly when I get in with shorts on. Last week, I got in the car go to Kroger's and jumped out with a loud, "Yeow!" No real burn on the back of my exposed legs, but it felt like I just sat in a hot skillet.

No matter. There's still a relative coolness in the morning. Although the time is briefer, we can still leave the doors and windows open for awhile before we must resort to the air conditioner.I don't mind cool weather. In fact, how could I appreciate the cooler weather if I didn't have the comparison to make?

The tomato plants are loaded, even the cherry tomato plants. They, unlike the rest of us, adore the hot weather as long as I keep pouring water on them. In the morning as the sun hits the plants, you can almost see them turning their faces upward to worship the heat.

The weather makes people in Douglasville head north and one of my favorite places to go is Fire's Creek in Murphy, North Carolina. Turn off Highway 64 at the sign. It is about 2 hours from here, and located down a long, winding road. By the time you get there, putting your feet in that cold creek water is all you can think about. The clear water is so cold that the only time I am comfortable in it is in August. Once I visited Fire's Creek in July along with my two granddaughters who were little tikes. They bravely wore swim suits and sat in the water fall until a short time later their lips were blue. They were shivering, but they still didn't want to get out. My step children grew up in Murphy. They tell me they used to jump off the bridge into the pool just below. I still don't know how their bodies took the shock of the cold water. I think next week-end will make a great picnic-at-Fire's-Creek week-end. I just might get rid of the heat of the night for a short time.