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Tuesday, July 19, 2011

All Things Summer (2011 Summer Heat Waves)

WHEN: Summer 2011
WHERE: The United (in heat) States of America
 
I have been planning this post for at least a couple weeks and thought now (in my series of posts about summer) would be the appropriate time to write it.  I love summer, and one of the main reasons is simply the weather.  Of course, when you're talking about weather, a couple weeks can change a lot.  And weather and summer are happening across the whole country (and northern hemisphere for that matter). Therefore, I didn't really know where to begin and was overwhelmed with what to include in this post.

Of course the ongoing drought and heat in Texas and Oklahoma as well as the heat and humidity in the Midwest are topics one should discuss when talking about this summer's heat.  I might do a post about those topics soon, but for now (in the interest of finishing these three posts) I cannot go in to those.  For now, I will just lay out a few highlights of this summer's weather here in Charleston.

Weather Note #1 - Triple Digits

In the past 5 years, Charleston has only reached triple digits once (100°F on August 6, 2008).  That was until this summer, when not only did we reach triple digits, we broke 100° three days in a row (June 19-21).


Weather Note #2 - Heat Index

Kiawah Island, SC (part of the Charleston metro area) set a new record heat index (unofficial) for the state of South Carolina on July 13 (128°F), since records began over 20 years ago.


Weather Note #3 - Well Above Average

In Charleston, every day in the month of June was above average.  The average high for the month of June was 94.1°F (6.2°F above normal).


Weather Note #4 - Prolonged Heat


From June 1 - July 13, the temperature reached or exceeded 90°, 40 of the 44 days (91% of the days for that period).  Not until yesterday (July 18) did the 7-day average (green line) drop below normal - the first time since May 20.


Weather Note #5 - Dew Points & Humidity

During the first two weeks of July (July 1-14), I could find no other city in the US that was more humid than Charleston.  For that period, our dew point (the absolute measure of humidity) averaged a daily high of 78.0°F.  The only other city that was even close was Key West, Florida (average 77.1°F).


Weather Note #6 - Drought

From April 14 - June 14, only 2.09" of rain fell in Charleston.  As a result, on June 21, 100% of the state was in some level of drought status.  By comparison, we received more rain (2.71") over a two-hour period on July 9!


Weather Note #7 - Absence of Cooling

Yesterday's low in Charleston of 66°F (which is near record low for mid-July) was the first time the temperature has ever dropped below 70° since June 15 and was the coolest temperature since May 20.


Weather Note #8 - Hurricane Season


Hurricane season begins every year on June 1.  This season's activity kicked off with the formation of Tropical Storm Arlene on June 29.  Closer to home today, Tropical Storm Bret churns off the waters of the Carolinas, on its trek towards (and ultimately its demise within) the northern Atlantic Ocean.


Weather Note #9 - More to Come!

As if all of that is not crazy enough, it's only mid-July and so there is much more of summer (and its weather) to come!  After our relative cold front in Charleston during the past 5 days (only reaching the upper-80's), the rest of this week is forecast to be back in the upper-90's, with plenty of humidity to go around.  But you know me, I'm not complaining!  As I saw one lady from Minnesota had commented on weather.com yesterday..."At least you don't have to shovel the heat!"

Finally, post #1 of 3 is here.

All Things Summer (The Sentiment of Summer)

WHEN: Memorial Day to Labor Day
WHERE: The Northern Hemisphere

In dedication to my favorite season of the year, and as part of the final chapter in compiling my Seasons page, I present...the sentiment of summer!

Greenville, North Carolina
August 4, 2009

Virginia Beach, Virginia
June 27, 2010

Norfolk, Virginia
June 12, 2010

Fort Macon State Park, North Carolina
August 8, 2007

Norfolk, Virginia
June 12, 2010

Fort Myers, Florida
June 9, 2007

Pea Island, North Carolina
May 30, 2008

Sanibel Island, Florida
June 8, 2007

Waterloo, Iowa
June 18, 2006

Phoenix, Arizona
August 7, 2005

Holden Beach, North Carolina
August 6, 2009

Cedar Falls, Iowa
July 4, 2006

Sanibel Island, Florida
June 8, 2007

Pea Island, North Carolina
May 30, 2008

Grand Haven, Michigan
August 14, 2006

Fort Myers, Florida
June 9, 2006

Norfolk, Virginia
June 17, 2010

Stockholm, Wisconsin
June 10, 2011

Ocracoke, North Carolina
July 24, 2008

Sanibel Island, Florida
June 8, 2007

Virginia Beach, Virginia
June 22, 2010

Carolina Beach, North Carolina
September 17, 2008

Greenville, North Carolina
August 4, 2009

Carolina Beach, North Carolina
August 7, 2008

Washington, North Carolina
July 4, 2008

Atlantic Beach, North Carolina
August 8, 2007

Virginia Beach, Virginia
June 5, 2010

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Jesse's POW (July 17, 2011)

WHEN: July 17, 2011
WHERE: The Villas at Charleston Park

See where this picture was taken, here!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Jesse's POW (July 10, 2011)

WHEN: July 4, 2011
WHERE: Waterfront Park, Charleston, SC

See where this picture was taken, here!

Jesse's POW (June 26, 2011)

WHEN: June 23, 2011
WHERE: The Pines at Charleston Park

See where this picture was taken, here!

Monday, June 20, 2011

Jesse's POW (June 19, 2011)

WHEN: June 15, 2011
WHERE: The Pines at Charleston Park

See where this picture was taken, here!

Jesse's POW (June 12, 2011)

WHEN: June 10, 2011
WHERE: Foster Rd., Stockholm, WI

See where this picture was taken, here!

Jesse's POW (June 5, 2011)

WHEN: June 4, 2011
WHERE: Village Rd., Chaska, MN

See where this picture was taken, here!

Jesse's POW (May 29, 2011)

WHEN: May 25, 2011
WHERE: Cypress Gardens, Moncks Corner, SC

See where this picture was taken, here!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Goofy Love

WHEN: May 27
WHERE: a putt-putt golf course

Today Stacie and I celebrate our 4-year wedding anniversary!

And by celebrate, I mean...work extended hours at work to compensate for vacation time used next week; Stace starting her first day as lead teacher for summer school; spending all night packing for vacation, paying bills, and checking off our last-minute to-do lists; and getting our house ready for a showing tomorrow (our lease is up on August 31 and the owners have put their condo back on the market).  I know it could be worse and I'm not really complaining.  We are both crazy excited to see our family and go on vacation next week and the compressed schedule that precedes is well worth it. 

Looking back at my post for our anniversary last year shows it was just more of the same.  Our past three anniversaries (including this one) have occurred on weekdays and we tend to celebrate them on one of the surrounding weekends.  That generally leaves the festivities of June 1 falling flat.  This year we knew most of our celebration would come in the form of vacation activities and the fact that we are even going on vacation.  We are also celebrating two other anniversaries in her family next week.  I know I will have much more to share in my next post, after we have spent a week with family and more adequately celebrated our anniversary.  So, for now I am writing about another anniversary Stace and I have celebrated this past week. 

Friday night we celebrated a big anniversary in our relationship.  A ten year anniversary!  Yes, ten years ago, on May 27, Stace and I had our first picture taken together.  We were not dating at the time ("officially") but we had become good friends.  It was also Memorial Day weekend and that Sunday night we went goofy golfing (neither of us remember who we went with).  Did we go with you?  Who took this picture?  Did you? We would like any answers you may have for us :)

May 27
Then and now.

What I do remember is that I wore Stacie's mom's fleece jacket that night (which I'm wearing in the picture); that I was wearing over-sized, off-themed (dress) shoes (which my mother-in-law has always referred to as my "clown shoes", since they are huge); and I have since learned that placing a publicly-shared golf ball in your mouth is not how you define "sanitary". (If only Stace knew what she was getting herself in to!)

So, last Friday night we went out to commemorate the occasion at, you know where...a goofy golf course!  I actually still have those "clown shoes" from ten years ago and almost wore them (along with a red fleece jacket), until Stace won the argument that it was foolish. :)  I at least convinced her that we should wear the same colors that we did in our picture ten years ago.  Compromise - that's a good lesson for a 4-year anniversary, is it not?

We played an 18-hole round at a goofy golf course just down the road from where we live.

On the links again, 10 years later!

Stace, on the opening shot of the night.

After a week in the mid-90's, Friday was a beautiful night for goofy golf (only reached 84°).  We could even wear our jeans!

Showing Stace how to play the game.  There are certain games we have always beat each other at.  Scrabble is her game, goofy golf is mine! :)  I especially love to rub it in, since she played high school golf for four years and her dad is a golf coach.

Eating humble pie.  Here, two holes later, she got a hole in one.

We took our time, let others pass, took pictures, laughed, teased, enjoyed the pleasant evening, and enjoyed time spent together.

"Never gonna win with that kind of shot!"
(despite the sentiment of the occasion, trash talk was not prohibited)

Though Stace ended with a bank shot hole-in-one and I ended with a 5-stroke monstrosity, my dominance in goofy golf was maintained and I shoved my victory in my wife's face once again.  Not romantic, but tradition :)

"The Graceful Loser" :)


Bumper Boats, also at Frankie's Fun Park.  I'd like to think that this would be another one of those games I would always win at.  We will try them next time we go and I will report on my winnings yet again!

Opponents on the field, 
team mates in life.
  Now ten years later,
she is my wife.

(she didn't marry me for me poetic skills)

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, STACIE JO!!!!