Left Coast Observatory

At first I thought it was military jets buzzing the city, as they occasionally do. I'm not much of one for air shows, so I wouldn't be surprised (it being a national holiday and all). But when I went out front to scan the skies, I saw the lightning that went along with the thunder. Pretty spectacular, too. Nature's own fireworks display.

Once again it looks like a cloudy, blustery and wet Fourth of July. It seems like summer never really starts until after a soggy fireworks show. Then we can count on maybe six weeks of hot weather, then back to the usual routine.

What I look forward to most about summer is hanging out at a natural swimming hole. There being mountains all around, and rivers, there are a lot of places to visit. The problematic issue being whether it's hot enough to not only make jumping into a cold pool of water enticing, but to make the water not so cold that you can't bear it.

But the water up in the hills is clear, with a good current to sweep away debris and that stagnant feeling that comes from a lake or pond. I enjoy seeing the fish as I swim by, and the birds and wildlife all around. It's peace-inducing to lounge on the banks of a river all day, diving and swimming and sunning. At the end of the day I descend back into the hazy valley and home.

I've let some summers pass without making the time to go up. And I think I need to make sure it happens. It's so good to get in contact with something so real and so good and so natural.