Water - or lack thereof

Friends have been asking about the fires, the drought and the extreme heat - and about how we are doing.

Drought
I have been sad about the drought since we arrived. In so many places everything is so terribly brown and dry and picky and poky. The live oak leaves have sharp tips all around the leaves which are like needles when dry. I hate how the stick themselves to the bottom of our shoes to ride inside and then dislodge in the carpeting. Ouch!

I have longed to see and hear water rushing through the wash just below our campsite, but I guess I never will. There was rain one weekend in February with lots of mud and rushing water, but we missed it because we had flown back to Michigan for a few days. When we returned we were delighted to see the mountains greening up. That lovely green springtime lasted several weeks, but it seems that the mountains are looking brown again - back to normal, I guess.

Water usage
I love the fact that we live in a green valley, but I often puzzle about how they do it. I thought that there was a water ban across the state, so then how are people watering? I guess it makes sense for agriculture, but what about lawn sprinklers? Well, it turns out that there is a very extensive water recycling program which is the source of most of the water used for sprinkling lawns - and I suppose fields as well. There is still much more that I could learn about.

Fire danger

There have been at least two major fire areas during our time here - one near Rancho Cucamonga east of L.A. maybe a month ago and most recently around San Diego. Neither of those are near us, but the fire danger warnings are on high danger most of the time. A couple nights ago there were fires along the highway between here and Santa Paula - a pretty long stretch had been burned along the side of the road. Bob thinks that a car burned on the shoulder of the road and the fire spread in both directions.

Extreme heat

Last week brought 105-degree temperatures for four days in a row. That turns our little patio into 112 degrees and means that we do have to use the AC on those afternoons. However, we are surviving quite well. Historically I have not done well when temps hit the 90's back in Michigan, but because it is drier here, I am not minding it so terribly. True I do not sit out in the sun when it is this hot, but I am able to stay somewhat comfortable. We are fortunate to have a pavilion over our unit which protects us from the overhead sun. It is only when the sun hits the side of our rig and reflects the heat into our little yard that it goes so high out there. But yes, it is manageable.

Local reaction

The locals were shaking their heads about how hot it was last week and are expressing gratitude for it being cooler this week. Those along the coast where the temps are moderated by the ocean feel sorry for us who live inland - saying things like "You couldn't pay me enough to live where it gets that hot." As for the dangers, I guess most are them are interconnected: the drought, the fire danger, and the high temps brought in by the Santa Ana winds from the high desert that can quickly whip any little flame into a vicious wildfire.

These conditions still feel really sad to me, but for the locals they just seem to be facts of life - like March mud in Michigan or February snow and gray skies.