Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Green and cool


It's hot outside. Strings of early morning thunderstorms are doing little to break the sticky heat that has settled over the region. Because so many folks are taking additional time off around the long weekend, no one seems to be complaining much: it makes for a great excuse to load up the van and cart the kids to the beach.

So I thought I should post a picture that serves as a counterpoint to the weather. As you've likely guessed by now, I don't enjoy heat and humidity. Just about the only consolation surrounding southwestern Ontario summers is you don't have to take out the shovel.

For everything else, tall glasses of iced tea, an air conditioned house and kids who run through the sprinkler before they give us banzai hugs will easily help us make it through the next couple of months. Today's lesson, which I learned as I wrestled a soaking little munchkin off of my now-wet shirt, is that there's joy in pretty much everything, as long as you take the time to look for it.

Your turn: Can looking at an image help make you feel cooler? What kinds of pictures would bring you joy on a hot summer day?

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes! If this photo was in red I wouldn't feel as cool.

Up here in the VA mountains it's cool in the mornings, but that won't last long.

srp said...

Here from Michele.

Forests dark and deep, pictures with green and lots of shade, pictures like yours with green and huge drops of water; all these help cool me down. Of course it helps if you are sitting in a cool house looking at these pictures! ;) But to be fair, even pictures taken ON the beach on a hot summer day aren't too bad. Here the breezes seem to always blow off the ocean and the beach side of the boardwalk is usually ten degrees cooler than on the other side of the hotels. I tried to go cool today too.

Jennifer said...

I wish looking at a picture would make me actually FEEL cool, but it doesn't.

Sarie said...

It makes me want to jump into a huge swimming pool! Of course, I say that as I sit inside with the a/c running and it looks as if it may rain today.

Here from Michele's again. No, I'm not stalking you, I promise!!!!

Anonymous said...

Watermelon. It's trite, I know, but somehow seeing that tender pink fruitflesh always sends me into a happy summerplace where there is shade and perhaps a wading pool.

kenju said...

Pictures of my grandchildren playing in a sparkling, blue swimming pool! That does the trick. Or the woods, deep and dark.

Michele sent me.

Anonymous said...

How about someone jumping into a cold lake from a swing!? Or a nice bowl of cool berries with a lemonade on the side? Here from Michele....thank you for stopping by today

srp said...

Back again from Michele.

I forgot FOOD!!!! Watermelon! Cantaloupe! Home churned ice cream! Peaches! Bing cherries!

Oh yes, crawling in between those smooth, cool cotton sheets at night; at least before they warm up. Do you ever find yourself waking up in the middle of a hot night and just turning the pillow over to feel the coolness next to your face?

Anonymous said...

First thing I saw when I clicked in was those dewy leaves; they made me feel refreshed and smiley. so I guess a picture can make you feel that way. For me, I would love to see little kids in a wading pool. That always makes me feel refreshed and joyous. We live near one and I love to drive past. Even more fun is taking the sweet girl!

Oh, michele sent me. :-)

It's Independance Day here - or as we refer to it "happy explode things day!" Although, the family has to be up at about 5:00 tomorrow morning , so I dont' think we'll be going to any firworks. A picnic is in order, though. I'll have to take my cameral and see what images I can capture.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the words of encouragement, Carmi. They mean more than you can imagine!

Canadian Mark said...

"...is that there's joy in pretty much everything, as long as you take the time to look for it."

I like that. Very Obi-won Kenobi. Kind of like -

"...most of the truths we cling to depend entirely on our own point of view."

The same goes for emotions, if you ask me.

As for "cool" pictures.... Foggy pictures do it for me. I don't think I've ever encountered a hot fog.

verniciousknids said...

Great picture! Anything with water always makes me feel cooler - especially if I'm in it :D

Michele sent me.

Anonymous said...

hello michele sent me.

it gets hot enough here a picture doesn't make any difference. the good news is that it isn't hot yet. the bad news is that it isn't hot yet.

Unique Designs from Zazzle said...

makes me wish i was a mouse on a hot day so i could roll around in it.

jennypenny said...

Lol too funny. It is so true that its great we dont have to take out the shovels. There is a big storm a'brewing this afternoon. Look out!!

Thanks again for the congratulations you gave over at Canadian Marks. I feel honoured to be in your company.

Here from Michele's this time..

Karen said...

Wow, that does look nice and cool... Pretty much anything with droplets of dew make me think of cool spring mornings.

Stay cool!

Les Becker said...

I think it's more the "memories" of summers past (and days and weeks past, this year, as we didn't seem to have a "Spring" in the Sault) that cool me off. I have the pics as well, but it's more the visions in my head, of my kid (old enough to know better) standing in somebody's sprinkler on purpose during a walk to the store with me after she borrowed MY shoes/jeans/jacket... or remembering The Pirate piping on the boardwalk. The reruns in my head are oddly more clear than the photos I take to commemmorate the occasions.

Anonymous said...

Hi again. Did you enjoy the shuttle launch? Last I heard, it was about to be scrapped. I'm glad it wasn't after all.

Anonymous said...

Carmi, I posted a photo over on my blog to answer your question...

Sandy J said...

Love the pics! And you are SO right! There is joy in everything if you take time to really see it. Thanks for visiting my blog and for the kind words. Would like to visit here often.

MaR said...

Love to think back to our winter skiing on hot days...and ot works the other way around in the winter time, too .Via Michele's this time. Sort of. The M&G game should always be on! have a good day, Carmi.

The Flamingess said...

Grown ups should try the kid's games - running through the sprinklers, water fight with the hose, Slip-N-Slide. ever notice, no matter how hard you try, you can never get all the rocks out from under the Slip-N-Slide?

Star said...

I too ahd a wet munchkin clinging to me today. And I loved every second. pictures of him in the pool will keep me cool. Michele sent me by this trip.

Panthergirl said...

Yes!! And this photo did it for me. It's equallly hot and humid here... blech!

Here via michele, Carmi!

Anonymous said...

That lettuce is a lovely counterpoint to heat.

Wait a minute, you got heat?

Fan a little towards Ottawa, OK?

Sarie said...

Back again from Michele's.

I wonder if I'd forget to visit if it were not for Michele? Nahhhhh. hahaha

MorahMommy said...

I love the picture! Was this the one you snapped when I finally said "Carmi, put the camera away?" I love the pictures but it would nice if 'sometimes' we could go to the store without feeling like a press conference.

I know you will do it again, and I will probably shake my head and smile...and leave you in the produce aisle!

Young Lady said...

Carmi your pics are wonderful, I hope I can capture some pictures the way you do one day