Hibernation?

Yesterday, I very nearly melted. Today, the heat and humidity are supposed to be even worse. I finally broke down and closed up my house and turned on the central air. I prefer fresh air and tiny electric bills, but the super-heated air coming in my windows was anything but refreshing, and what am I working for if not to pay my bills.

But before the sun broke over the mountain to drench my yard in heat and light, I went outside to get a few things done. I whacked some weeks around the house - the yard is finally starting to green up after the weeks of dry weather we had, and all around the patio and walkways, the weeds have gotten to the point where they grab at your ankles as you walk by. Then, I went out to pick blackberries. I got away with very little injury, just a few pricks here and there, and lots of yummy berries, some to eat, and some to freeze for smoothie making out of season. I consider myself lucky. After all, I received the following email from my neighbor last week:

TO: Erin
FROM: Carla
SUBJECT: FYI
While driving past your house, I just saw a bear cross your back yard and go into the woods. Cute little fella.

What do you think she means by "cute little fella". Cute like a pit bull is cute? (sorry all you pit bull lovers out there, but I'm not a fan)


Or maybe she meant cute like this,

in which case there is probably one of these following close behind.


Either way, I've been on the lookout when I am out there collecting berries lately, just in case there's a 300 lb black furry critter with a hankering for fresh fruit.

But like I said, I made back inside without incident, and the berries went great with my eggs, bacon, grits, cinnamon raisin toast and OJ. I love weekend breakfasts!

(Don't you love my apron? A Christmas gift from my brother. But why do you suppose my son chose to cut off my head in this photo? Hmmm....)

Anyway, I see lots of quilting in my future today, provided the children continue to entertain themselves. While I was making breakfast, they were working on my house,

and they are currently singing karaoke to every Michael Jackson song ever made and accompanying each other on their out of tune guitars.

Is it called hibernation when you are hiding out from the warm, or only from the cold? Either way, I don't plan on emerging again until the air temperature is at least 10 degrees cooler than my body temperature.