This summer has been crazy hot in Nashville. We've pretty much been under a heat advisory for two weeks running now, and it doesn't look like it's letting up any time soon. Temperatures are in the 90's and then humidity makes it feel over 100! Along with the humidity comes rain, just about every afternoon, like clockwork. The thunder starts rolling in the distance, the wind picks up, clouds roll in, it pours for a while, then the sun comes back out and it gets hot again.
Today was a day like that. My friend Mo came over and I cut her hair out on the back deck. It was terribly hot, but we stayed in the shade and thought cool thoughts. Then the thunder started to rumble - slow and deep, a good distance off, but warning us of the inevitable. I kept on cutting, enjoying the new breeze and trying to out run the storm.
We finished just as the first drops started. One at a time, falling from the edge of the cloud. I swept the deck as Mo cleaned up. More rain, faster now. Just as she got in her car, a bolt of lightning flashed, and seconds later the thunder clapped, loud. We both jumped and laughed, it was here!
She drove away but I stayed on the front porch, enjoying the brisk wind and droplets, a welcome relief from the heat we were just experiencing. The rain came harder- big, proud drops. The wind blew our willow tree, back and forth, the long branches swaying like a head of hair.
I stayed outside until the rain got too hard and the wind too cold. Inside I was wet, and cold from the air conditioning. I ran upstairs and threw on my robe and got back the laundry. A small adventure in an otherwise ordinary day.
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My robe - did I tell you about my robe?
It's the kimono robe from Amy Butler's In Stitches. I made the small size, but of course it's huge on me, because I am a tiny person. I like the extra room though, and I love my new robe! It's medium weight cotton material, perfect for this time of year when the air conditioning makes me cold after a shower (or a rain storm). It will continue to be nice for the fall season, at which point I may also make a flannel version to take me into winter. I'm hoping this one sticks around for a long time and gets softer and cozier with each wash.
The pattern is pretty straight forward, there were a couple spots I had to re-read but all over not too hard. I'll probably make a few more as gifts in the future, I know my mom and sister would both enjoy a sweet robe.
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In other weather related news, I fear my tomato plants are suffering from dropped bud syndrome, due to the excessive heat around here. The little one keeps getting flowers, but they disappear and never turn into fruit. The big one keeps growing up and up and up (it's taller than me now) but it won't grow out and it refuses to make tomatoes.
Any ideas? How's the weather in your neck of the woods?
