In Focus

Summer is winding down. It makes me both sad and happy.

Since Halloween is my favorite time of year, I am very excited about fall. I have a few new props for the light show and I am nearly done editing the show. I can smell the pumpkin spice already.

Don’t get me wrong, I love summer, too. It’s nice to be able to enjoy the outdoors, enjoy the flowers and bonfires. It was nice to see a normal summer with fairs and town festivals back in full swing. It has kept me very busy this summer.

But this summer hasn’t been great in every way.

The drought continues to worsen. Crops are dying, trees are already changing colors due to the lack of moisture. And then there has been the terrible wildfires across the U.S. and waking up to thick smoke in the air. Also, there is a sadness that comes with watching a storm system (hoping it brings rain) dissipate before it reaches us. Seeing river beds dried up and lakes becoming more shallow is depressing and highly concerning.

It’s only a matter of time before the recommendation to use less water becomes mandatory.

Several years ago I went to California for a family Christmas during the height of a drought for them. Households were limited on how many gallons of water they could use daily or they would face fines. Residents ripped the grass out of their yards and replaced it with decorative sand and rock. I had never seen the water reservoirs so low in my life. If we don’t start watching our usage, that will soon be us. Some cities are already posting water restrictions.

And have you noticed the number of fires and car accidents is astonishing this year? What makes it even worse is it appears more people are getting seriously hurt or killed. It’s very upsetting. Some days I don’t even want to listen to the news or the scanner for that matter. I just want to crawl in a hole and not come out.

I am asking you to please check your smoke detectors, buy new ones, have a fire extinguisher handy and maybe one on every floor. And please take your time on the roads, pay attention and always wear your seatbelt.

Stay safe everyone.