The heat has arrived on North Carolina's Crystal Coast just in time for the 4th of July. Heat is welcome on the coast during July. It makes the waters warm for swimming and keeps the tourists happy.
There are a few downsides like having to mow your lawn really early in the morning, but you get used to those ways around the heat.
Still it is nice to get a break from the steamy temperatures. Last night when we opened our car doors we knew that we were someplace different.
The last few days on the coast, it is still warm and humid well past nine PM. Here in Roanoke, late in the evening the air has cooled. With mountain humidity which runs a litle below ours on the coast, the evenings are very pleasant on the mountains surrounding Roanoke.
There are still a few weeks before Roanoke starts to really cook with the hot days of August.
Early heat does have its advantages. We are bringing homegrown tomatoes to our friends in Roanoke. The garden season at the coast will start to wind down around July1 after the watermelons become prolific. The Roanoke area's vegetables will just reach their peak in July.
This morning's sunrise reminded me of how beautiful the Roanoke Valley can be. The early morning peace and quiet is a reminder of life before all the factories. It is a time to enjoy the day before the summer heat makes it tough to survive without air conditioning.