THE TEMPATURE TANGO (Summer? Fall? who knows!)

September, the time of year when harvest begins. Halloween and Thanksgiving decor start showing up in stores. The time of year where there is a visible change in vegetation. the time of year that the days start to cool.... or maybe not. 

I will be the first one to admit it; I love cooler weather seasons. My family thinks I am strange because of it, but I don't care, I have never been one to enjoy heat. Don't ask me why, that is just what I prefer.

I love the multiple shades of colors on the trees in the fall, the crunch of the leaves underfoot. I love being able to see my warm breath in the cool air. And, most of all I love the hauntingly beautiful fog of the Central Valley winter. Not only is it a wonderful display of nature. It is a reminder that the holiday season is coming nearer. Well, at least that is what I started to think in the middle of this month.

The beginning of this month started out with the annual Color the Skies hot air balloon festival to raise money for the Children's hospital of Central California. Despite warmer temps earlier in the week, the weekend of the festival seemed promising as the delta breezes were to cool things off (always a plus to me). It seemed as if our natural evening AC had abandoned us for other areas quite a bit this summer and so I was quite looking forward to the cool temps and balloon festivities despite having to get up early to see the balloons lift off. In the three years of the festival I had never had the chance to go and see the balloons because of work. And so, Ashley, Braden, and I where going to get up before 6am and bike over to see the show.

Well, sadly, if I wasn't going to get the wonderful weekend that I was so looking forward to. My one excitement of cool weather ruined the hope of watching 17 hot air balloons lift off that morning. Yes, cooler temps are needed in order for the balloon to contain the heat that helps if lift, but, wind, even the slightest bit is a foe of balloons. As seen in the next photo.

It seems like a huge gust of wind is blowing the balloon about, but really this is just a small breeze. I woke up at 5:30am, rode my bike over to the park, just to watch a balloon inflate and deflate. Let's just say I really missed my bed at that point. However, I was determined to enjoy more of the day with my brother and sister. And, the balloons were not the only thing going on that day. We spent time looking through booths and seeing wild animals, seeing people we knew, laughing at the reactions of the children on the bungee cord launch, and coming up with ways to incapacitate the annoying train ride.



The festival had different events going on throughout the day. Such as a fly over of jets that we actually saw just in time after stopping for breakfast a little ways from the park the whole thing was at. All in all it was a really fun day.


Determined to see a balloon get off the ground. The three of us once again got up early Sunday. We where a little short on time as we were going to leave at 7am to go serve food at a homeless shelter in Stockton. There were not as many people Sunday and the weather was a bit calmer and so we were provided with a great view of getting a balloon inflated.


Yes, that is the bottom of the basket there in the photos. It was so cool!


We were able to see all the way into the balloon. It was really cool to see the whole process of inflating a hot air balloon from start to finish.


We stood there as this thing that had been flat on the ground grew and grew right in from of our eyes. And despite the fact that once again we did not see the balloons take off (only two inflated and were used for "rides") it was something I will never forget.


We had such a great view that we saw the flames shoot into the balloon! And never having seen one of these balloons live before, I didn't really comprehend the massive size of these things!

Below here is a shot from further away.


Below here is a shot from when it was first upright. I am maybe 10 yards away from the basket looking straight up and that thing just towered over us. You couldn't even see all the colors on the balloon!


As stated before, we were not able to stay for very long but we did get some good shots while leaving. Maybe next year will work out better!



Well, despite the little tease of cooler temps that God gave us. Summer didn't want to give up just yet. Temperatures jumped back up into the 90's and 100's again and we found ourselves laboring away in it (well, only a little. and only some people). Here is a little guy I found enjoying the afternoon shade one day I was sweeping in the backyard. It is not often that we see wild snakes around here. We see lizards by the dozen it seems but not snakes and so I spent some time watching this little guy react to my broom.



























I don't think he was really very fond of it as seen here in the photo below.



Well, even though I am eager for the holidays and cool temps I am thankful God gives us the wonderful delights of his creation. Such a joy it is to see his animals and plants in these late summer days. I will try to remind myself of that during this next week’s heat wave. 100 degree temps are heading our way again.