I can hardly believe how fast the summer is flying by and not to mention it's been scorching hot, and the Asheville area has been experiencing code orange and red air quality warnings for weeks. This is the time of the year my obsessive hiking tendencies come to a screeching halt and I find myself feeling lazy, heavy and lacking energy. I'm constantly purging the house and dog of ticks and I hardly know a day without suffering from the burning itch of chigger bites. The vegetation upkeep on our 3.2 acres is a bitch and it would be nice if the gully washing rains would stop eroding our drive way. I'm sure it's coming across like I don't like summer and that's not true, but I'm experiencing summer in a new place and am learning how to adapt with the climate. It's hot, humid and the air is thick. For a hiker like me who enioys long hard slogs up mountains, it's hard on the lungs, I run the risk of over heating and with time, web walking begins driving me crazy. One of the reasons I love being in the woods is because I let my mind and feet go and try to clear my mind of thought. Hiking in the summer takes constant thinking and I always seem to be distracted with some form of discomfort or annoyance. And snakes are everywhere, nasty Copper Heads.
