Desert morning in the Tropical Paradise

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It's June 27th and the Phoenix area is heading for record heat, again. At 6 am it's nearly eighty, and when the sun starts to shine here at The Tropical Paradise, the heat comes on very fast. The afternoon sun is very harsh, and at this time of the year, even the morning sun can be, too.

In fact, the forecast for this weekend is for the temperatures to get into the teens, that is, over 115 F. I moved to the Phoenix area when I was 19 and have been fortunate to have always had a job at a desk, in buildings with air conditioning. I know that other people have not been so lucky.

It's this intense heat that keeps many people from moving to the desert. Unlike cold weather, you really can't dress for it. And it will be this way for the next two months. It's kind'a like waiting out a blizzard that lasts for months. If you don't have to go out into it, don't.

I will be visiting a friend's swimming pool this morning, right after I finish writing this. By the time most people are up and moving around at this time of year, it is already over 90, so it's never too early in the summertime to swim. Like most people who do gardening, I am a morning person. I love the quiet, and this time of year I have several hours pretty much to myself.

The traffic will start to drone in an hour or so, and people will wonder why in the world they live in the desert. They will miss a glorious morning like this, but I won't.

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