Clint and Corky
Enduring the Heat and Storms
Greetings from the island everyone! I sure hope that all of you are doing dandy, and are surviving this brutal and typical south Texas summer that we are having. Even though I don’t really need any more rain right now, especially 4-5” at a time, I am thankful for the occasional showers that the island has been receiving lately as it keeps the temps a tad cooler and bearable. I pretty much just sit outside on the covered porch during the hottest parts of the day, drinking flavored water or sweet iced tea. Ice is an invaluable commodity out here during the hot summer months!
The older I have become, it seems as though I simply cannot tolerate the heat like I could in my younger years. I was 38 when I began this island life endeavor, and that was nearly 22 years ago. Thank goodness over the last 16 of those years of living out here full time, my robust and aging body has acclimated to not having air conditioning. Of course I know from the way that he looks at me (the exact way that Barnacle did , Corky is saying, “Come on already human, get some dang AC out here!” I have him a soft dirt area under one of the shaded decks, and he keeps digging down to find cool dirt and then plops down there I also give him a hose-down fresh water cool bath during the day. I’m not gonna lie, I do enjoy the AC when I make my trips into town, and Corky certainly does as well.
Well, we are dead center into the stormy “H” season now, the time of year that I keep a close watch on the weather and tropics, and anything that enters the Gulf. I do my best to stay as prepared as possible, at least for any minor or low level tropical storms. But honestly, if the right storm makes it’s way to us, and hits in the right spot, there is very little preparation that is gonna make a difference. A barrier island is the first line of defense in protecting the mainland shoreline, so the islands always take the brunt of the damage. But hey, that’s just the way it is, it’s part of the solitude lifestyle that I so much enjoy. . . so I’ll take that gamble and soak in the happiness every single year that I’m still out here.
Well that’s gonna be it from the island for now. The 40+ inches of rain since April has been like steroids for the grass growing out here, so gotta go get some yards mowed before Labor Day weekend. Everyone take care and stay hydrated in this heat. Have a great day!
Corky and I took an early morning beach golf cart ride/walk before it turned too miserably hot, and before I got started on my next article. We picked up a few treasures, including brain beans, sea hearts and a brown nicker, and some pretty sharks eye snails and two beautiful apple snail seashells. Also an olive and scotch bonnet shell, and a teddy bear. (and a Florida Rocksnail below the bear) -Clint Bennetsen
