Summer's Here Already

Summer seems to have arrived already and it's not happy!   At least in Hot Springs, Arkansas, where I've been working for the past week and will be through June 10.

I"m naturally drawn to water and moving water in particular but the south has been in near drought conditions for the past few months and many streams that normally are flowing, now are reduced to a trickle.

This morning, I trekked up a hilly trail at Lake Catherine State Park just south of  Hot Springs where the heat had already gotten to the low nineties by 9:00 AM.  By the time I found the falls (or what's left of them) the combination of the hills, temperature and my way out of shape condition had me huffing, puffing and sweating.

Wading in the pool below the falls was a refreshment I shared with a some adults, a dozen kids and a Golden Labrador Retriever who had taken the short and not so rugged trail.

It was a good to get out, clear the cobwebs from my mind and get in some much needed exercise. 

After my Mom's family reunion, hopefully I will be able to get home a few days and exercise Old Boudreaux as well.

Still dry so far.

The east side of the Mississippi River in Louisiana is still dry at this point.  Not being at home, I'm constantly thinking about Louisiana every time I turn on the TV in the hotel room.  My wife says there are sand boils on or near the levee on River Road just south of LSU but she's confident that they will not rupture.  My heart goes out to the folks north of us and on the west side near the Atchafalaya.

Here's a link to compelling photos of the flood from up in Mississippi down into Louisiana. (click here)