The first heat wave of summer has arrived, and we’re ready for it.
When sweltering temperatures and humidity descend on the White Mountains, we change the way we do things. Woodland walks are shorter, slower, and earlier in the morning. We stay close to the river, so Samwise and Emily can drink when they wish.
But drinking is not always enough for Emily, the “Otter.” She is at her most gleeful, plunging into the cool river and swirling in circles like a toy boat with a stuck rudder. After that initial dip, she looks at me expectantly. I have gathered sticks to throw. One after another, I toss, and she retrieves.
Samwise, not as much of a swimmer, is a wader. However, I’ve noticed that with age, he walks deeper into the river, even up to his white belly.
On days like today, when the air is thick with haze, and it feels like it is pressing down on me, the river beckons all the more. These are the times when I most of…
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