Every summer for the last six or seven years we have had forest fires in our general vicinity. Some closer and scarier than others. But EVERY summer, we have had long periods of terrible air quality. Inversion layer, stagnate, brown, featureless air. Are there stars? I don't know. Sun? An angry looking red ball... IF you can see it at all.

I will not regale you with the litany of reasons why we are in this situation. Everyone has their opinion on it, and frankly, opinions don't mean much when you don't want to go out of your house for days on end

My garden suffers from the smoke and doesn't thrive like it used to. Nothing seems to grow well now.

I was in a terrible funk from being stuck indoors most of the week, but something amazing happened yesterday.

We had a thunderstorm. They are pretty rare for us. In fact, this was one of only two this whole summer.

The wind blew fiercely at the beginning. Dust and leaves blew everywhere. Then there was thunder and lightning. It rained, but not that much. But when it was all over, the sky was cleared of smoke, and cool air from way up high had settled down on us. It was glorious.

I went outside in the evening and took many deep breaths of sweet cool air. It felt so healing! And this morning, it was still beautiful.

Did you know?

Have you heard?

The sky is BLUE! 😋