As the boundaries between seasons dissolve, we’re forced to adapt in all directions. This week’s ongoing heat wave – 25 degrees above normal at its peak, 94°F – pushed cool-season crops like ranunculus and anemones into rapid decline, while at the same time accelerating the arrival of fairy-wand foxgloves and boisterous bachelor’s buttons. Endings and beginnings intertwine; diversity is key to our survival.
I wrote this song, “Hotter Than Normal,” about my own anxieties around extreme heat – in fact, the last 12 months in the U.S. were the hottest on record. Since we can no longer escape the consequences of our culture’s fossil-fuel dependency, we must focus on strengthening community bonds, and electing climate-smart leaders like Nithya Raman, who could use the power of the LA Mayor’s Office to plant 100,000 trees, invest in green solutions like bioswales to capture rainwater, as well as opening 100 parks in the neighborhoods that need them most.
With temperatures plunging back to the 50s tomorrow – and a much-needed rain sequence hopefully denting our drought – the sweet peas might yet get their chance to put on a show, our fragrant reward for a troubled year.
Thanks for listening!
