Hot enough to...

On our very own home front, there's been limited action at the bird feeders this week. Time for nesting, incubating and/or feeding nestlings? No signs of any scarlet tanagers yet. This year we also appear to be missing any bluebirds. Tree swallows(?) are using one of the bluebird houses and the other is sitting empty. That's a disappointment. A male cardinal, rose-breasted grosbeak, and a red-bellied woodpecker of unidentified sex were at the feeder late yesterday. (I need to remember to look for a red crown to id the male.) Today we saw the first chickadee in a week or two at the birdbath. Are birds affected by heat as much as humans are? Audubon notes that "Spring heat waves endanger young birds in the nest."

Heat waves also endanger humans who lack the sense or opportunity to avoid getting overheated by working outside when the temperatures exceed what's been considered normal. Although I enjoy reading, June's temperatures have had me inside, sitting and reading much more than I prefer at this time of year, when the normal temperatures are supposed to be about 20 degrees cooler than they've been. I wonder how the corn, that was two to six inches tall a week or ten days ago, is faring under this hot spell.

will the heat wave stunt the corn?

Photo by J. Harrington

I also wonder if we'll see (m)any more stories about how climate breakdown is causing Minnesota's winters to warm faster than our summers. I believe we're headed to some sort of record-breaking June heatwave of nine or more days at or above 90℉. Meanwhile, Minnesota Republicans in the legislature are threatening the possibility of a state government shutdown because they object to the Clean Car rules. They're also focusing on breaking parts of the government that appear to be functioning quite well, such as the Minnesota Historical Society. One occasionally speculates whether the Republicans are trying to bring the equivalent of Sharia law to US. One also gets angered by unwarranted, obstructionist actions that endanger the health, life and safety of the rest of US. Neither COVID-19 not climate breakdown is a hoax, despite what self-serving charlatans, witches and warlocks would have US believe.

Heat

H. D. - 1886-1961

O wind, rend open the heat,
cut apart the heat,
rend it to tatters.

Fruit cannot drop
through this thick air—
fruit cannot fall into heat
that presses up and blunts
the points of pears
and rounds the grapes.

Cut the heat—
plough through it,
turning it on either side
of your path.

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