The Heat Has Taken its Toll

This trip has been exhausting!  I think about 3/4 of it can be credited to the heat and humidity.

Here in Nashville tropical storm Lee has finally bought relief from a summer of temperatures in the high 90s and low 100s and we are relieved as well. Since our second day out night time low temps have been in the mid-to upper 70s. It has been raining all night and is currently 61 outside.

The Nashville area had not received any rain for six weeks and until yesterday the grass was dry and brittle. Trees here do not seem as stressed as further south, as those areas have had a prolonged drought. In the Chattanooga area we noticed the trees on the mountainsides appeared to be changing colors.  When we got closer the “color change” was not that at all, the trees were actually brown and very dead looking.  At the campground we stayed at in Elko, GA, the annuals they had planted around the park were dried up and withered as were many of the established ornamental shrubs in the landscape.

We are looking forward to getting home. Yes, even snow when it comes.