Thursday, July 2, 2009

It's a wet, wet world.

High: 66° F
Low: 58° F
Conditions: Continual showers.


The statistic on today’s morning radio said it all: it’s rained 28 out of the last 30 days here in Maine.
.
Everyone—human and animal alike—is feeling the effects in his or her own way.

Meteorologists and historians are interested as can be. They talk about the unique stalled trough off the coast of New Brunswick that keeps pushing sea air onto the mainland, saturating Maine with omnipresent drizzle and humidity. They note that last month was the third rainiest June on record. It was also one of the coldest, with high temperatures rarely exceeding our normal lows.

The whitewater kayakers in our lives are thrilled, too, since they are able to run hidden creeks and streams normally reserved for winter snowmelt. Probably there are other tiny niches of people—ones with fins and webbed toes, I suspect—who are also happy to be occupying soup that puts even Seattle to shame.

But that doesn’t mean much if you’re a canine naturalist.

Ari is a dog driven by sun: it wakes her in the morning and pushes her outdoors in the evening. Without it, she snoozes in a kind of timeless vacuum. Meal schedules become irrelevant. So too do otherwise precisely timed walks. And why not? The moral imperative for any good caninaturalist is to get outside and observe the world. But, really, that’s only interesting when there’s a world to observe.

Sure, there’s plenty to see outside right now: incredibly lush trees, the first blackeyed susans of the year, armies of slugs and earthworms, those intrepid whitewater paddlers. These sorts of things, though, have never really had the draw other species have had for Ari. This damp and dark has sent everyone retreating for dens and caves--a little bit of cozy dry in an otherwise soggy world.

It's almost as if Ari's favorite creatures—the martins and deer, the squirrels and neighborhood cats—seem to have come to the same conclusion she has: So far, this summer has gone anywhere but to the dogs.

23 comments:

Amber and Nala said...

Ahhh, hope you get some sunshine soon Ari! I would not be able to handle all the rain! Also, looks like a great trip to Niagra Falls! :)

Nala

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

I'm sure it helps make the moskhwitoes happy too...

Which doesn't help the hoomans!

Woo khan khome snooze with me!

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra

YD, sometimes with ♥June and ♥Angel Samantha said...

We have no sun here either. We kept giving mom the look and she just kept saying:"It's pouring outside, you girls won't like like."

Woodrow, Luna, MJ Campanella said...

Unfortunately my little piggies love it - the go out white and come back in brown several times a day

woodrow hates it and doesnt do his business unless i bring an umbrella

woodrow sweetie mj

The Army of Four said...

Ya don't look happy, Ari! Want to come lay on the deck with me?
Play bows,
Zim

Marigold said...

Oy. Please send some rain. The goatmother is getting tired of slogging hoses about all over the place.

Stella said...

We here in Upper Minnesota have had nothing but rain for the last two months. For the last week, the sun has come out and its wonderful!

So perhaps you just have to wait it out a little longer, Ari, and you will have your sunshine back.

Kisses,
Stella

Teddy Westlife said...

Poor Ari. I hope you get some sun soon.

Huffle Mawson

Eve said...

I feel for you guys up there! and I hate to remind you that the days are growing shorter! Sorry!

D.K. Wall said...

Our last week or so has been beautiful here, so sorry you are still in the muck. The rivers are higher than they have been in 4 years though since we have finally exited the drought that has plagued our area.

As a canine naturalist, you will appreciate that we kept waking our humans and barking and wooing last night. After much grumbling, the humans gave us a little credit this morning when they went outside and found black bear scat in our driveway. So maybe we weren't barking at the wind. Humans!

♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥ said...

The sun will come out tomorrow - sorry, just couldn't resist.

That is a lot of rain. We had a lot a few weeks ago but with the heat we get in the midwest and the clay soil, it doesn't take much to dry things out quickly.

Here's hoping for some good old sunshine for Ari.

woos, the OP Pack

Kess And Her Mama said...

Oh dear....hope it stops raining cats and dogs soon and you'll get a sunny dog day soon!

Gus, Louie and Callie said...

Oh we are so sorry Ari that you are not enjoying the weather. You can send some of that rain and cool weather our way. We are suppose to continue to be in triple digits through the weekend..

Big Sloppy Kisses
Gus, Louie and Callie

Lorenza said...

I wish I could send some of my sun to you!
We have plenty!
Kisses and hugs
Lorenza

Pippa said...

I've got lots of sunshine here that I will share with you, and some nice sea breezes to keep the air fresh and not too sticky.

Pippa

umekotyan said...

Good evening Ari
Rain has increased to Japan.
And, the mushroom has grown on the road.
To our regret, it is not in the mushroom that can be eaten.
And, a cold temperature and a hot temperature should mix and it take care of health.
It falls in love the light of the sun on a wonderful weekend. :D

from loved ume tyan

Khady Lynn said...

That's really crappy weather! But, at least you aren't baking in temps in the upper 90's with the same humidity. I'd take the cool over the heat any day! I sure hope you get some dry weather though!

Holly

Simba and Jazzi said...

We are back! We have missed all our DWB friends.

Simba and Jazzi xx

YourFireAnt said...

Too bad she's not still here. Niles [my sometime Sussex spaniel companion] could teach her a few things about the joys of being wet. He wallows in it.

FA

word verif: dozesse [a new word for caninenaturalist?]

Kathie Brown said...

Tell Ari I feel her pain! I was there in Maine for part of this time and it sure put a damper on my bird watching and photography! I came home and wrote a post caled "Maine in Green and Gray." I know you understand!

Unknown said...

Oh dear....hope it stops raining cats and dogs soon and you'll get a sunny Dogs day soon

Anonymous said...

That photo should be in the dictionary alongside the definition of "grumpy." Wonderful pic!
- - - - - - -
Jack@PDB
dog beds and more

Unknown said...

delight send some rainfall. The goatmother is getting exhausted of slogging hoses about all over the place. . Challenge coins