Is it safe to go out again?

People I meet in San Diego, even Tucson, say it’s really hot where you live. Do many people live there? Do you have any shade? Why do you live there? Is it hotter than Death Valley?

My short answer is that it’s Death Valley with sprinklers and lawns. And I don’t know if anyone really lives here because I haven’t seen anyone walk by the house, other than the letter carrier, since June. Yes, cars drive by in the evening, but they could be autonomous, self-driving, cars sent out by the Chamber of Commerce for appearances sake. Yet another conspiracy, this one hatched by Realtors to increase property prices.

But I’m here with good news. Our friend, Mary, reports she’s riding her bike in the early morning. That leaves me out since early morning for me is 8.30 a.m. only twice a week. Even then, I’m likely to mistakenly pour water into my coffee cup instead of my glass because it’s just too early. My friends tell me I’m too coffee dependent. They’ve sworn off. Taken the decaf pledge. I only drink, maybe, a cup and a half in the morning. It primes the engine. Just ask Mrs. Olson of Folgers Coffee fame.

I’ve taken Mary’s hint and am pumping up the tires of my beach cruiser. This is just in case the weather cools enough when I get on the street shortly before noon. I love riding my bike though it is badly neglected during the summer months. It’s a basic bike. It has one gear and stand-on-thepedals brakes. And a bell. I won’t have a mountain bike until mountains are installed in El Centro. But it’s possible. The city is moving ahead in the recreation department, and one council member said we need hills to ensure a total cardiac workout. I wholeheartedly agree.

There are other signs of the season’s change. According to one big box store, it will soon be Christmas. The store has even trumped its own Halloween display. Let’s fast-forward the seasons. Imagine a single decoration that covers all the holidays: A vampire in ice skates carrying a big bag of gifts. But are they really gifts and not some gruesome trick or treat? Bunnies? Did someone say, bunnies? Don’t worry, the marketing people will figure it out, and it’ll have nice twinkling lights too.

I can’t help myself just thinking about the fall growing season. I checked my supply of seeds. Some of them I will just compost. They are old and won’t germinate. I did go on-line and order tomato and lettuce seeds. It will be lettuce season soon. Lettuce is easy to grow here. I’ll start tomato seedlings, small plants that I will nurture during the cooler months. If all goes well, they will grow and mature once the days grow longer. If you are into this gardening stuff, you must think ahead a season and plan. Forget what the big box stores are selling. Buy seed and get started. Go online and Google desert gardening. Our growing season is the opposite of much of the country, and it takes getting used to. Think Death Valley with irrigation and slightly better soil. Best to amend your soil with compost.

My plantings are minimal. They are measured in square feet or circles. Yet, coping with temperature changes, irrigation, white fungus and insects provides me a microcosm of what farmers must deal with. It gives me a greater appreciation of the people who bring us vegetables and durum wheat for all that pasta I love. On a large scale, it’s a risky business. I’ve coaxed eggplants through the summer and am fighting a leaf fungus just when I thought we were getting into milder weather.

Finally, yard signs are sprouting on people’s lawns reminding us to vote for candidates. You can’t vote if you are not registered. So take a break from pumping up those bike tires and register. https://registertovote.ca.gov.