A hot mess
My home – a work in progress, really – does not have much air conditioning. We keep a window unit in the kitchen and one in the bedroom, which we run only at night. We began building in 2019 in Ocoee, Tennessee, at the edge of Cherokee National Forest. And, being on a serious budget, we’ve had to make tough investment decisions: a roof – necessary; central air – a luxury.
This time of year, the sun cracks Chilhowee Mountain around 10 a.m., and from then on, I keep the curtains drawn, only venturing outside to toss frozen blueberries to the chickens. Still, by late afternoon, the indoor thermometer reaches about 85 degrees F.
So if you’re asking, “Is summer making you a hot mess?” The answer is yes. Thankfully, our first story below offers ways to find relief.
– Sunny Montgomery, editor