Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

An Inconvenient Truth

Summer In Provence

It’s hot 

very hot…

 

Summer In Provence

 

All the shutters are shut to keep the heat out.

 

Summer In Provence

We only go out if necessary. Food is necessary. Walking is unbearable, and most French people walk to the market. Without air conditioning and walking, it’s one hot summer.

 

Summer In Provence

Carrying a pretty basket to and from the market doesn’t make the heat disappear. I went to throw my basket away and jumped into the sea. I don’t even care if the tomatoes get smashed; I actually do.

 

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Most of the fountains are dry, as severe drought has caused that. It’s depressing to see the reality that the climate has changed.

Where are we going!? And are we going to change?

Is it possible?

 

Summer In Provence

The cicadas are working overtime. A constant reminder that it’s hot and their music is not music to my ears this summer. Poor little creatures.

 

Summer In Provence

Five minutes on foot is the Mediterranean.

a life savor.

 

Summer In Provence

9:30 at night.

 

 

Summer In Provence

Enchanting and Charming and HOT!

Most people in France do not have air conditioning. There was never a need. Most apartment buildings cannot have air-conditioned because how/where would the evacuation units and vents be?  And in the small villages, the evacuation units would create more heat in the narrow streets.

Fans are in demand.

 

Summer In Provence

Now I understand the reason for the meaning of siesta.
Go out in the morning, come home, go out in the evening.

If you’re lucky to work at home, that is.

I feel sorry for those who have to take the bus or the metro or walk in the middle of the day; it would be hellish. At least cars have air conditioning and so do office buildings… 

Earth has changed. I wish I could feel hopeful… Yes, there is love, family, friends, and goodness.

and the climate has changed

And life is changing with it. 

An Inconvenient Truth.  

Where will we be next summer? 

Comments

15 responses to “An Inconvenient Truth”

  1. Laurel

    I am not getting my daily blog post, I miss it. Is this happening to anyone else?

    Reply
  2. Kathleen

    I’m not getting mine either as I was, had to check my defunct blog to get it as it pops up there first?Replying to Laurel above.
    We have had one exceedingly hot day here in southern Ireland, so glad temps have dropped today!

    Reply
  3. Jeanne

    Please be very careful in that extreme heat.
    Praying for everyone trying to cope with it all
    Much love
    Jeanne

    Reply
  4. Julie

    I am getting my blog posts, unlike others. Corey, I am very serious about climate change and follow the science, which is saying that unless we stop using fossil fuels, we will continue to heat and ultimately kill the planet and ourselves. Scientists say: Eliminate fossil fuel use, stop eating meat, and reduce drastically the number of air flights you take. Cruise ships are also horrible for the climate, and they run 24/7. We can’t look around and wait for a miracle or technology to save us. Each of us needs to take responsibility and reduce use of anything made from fossil fuels. America is of course the worst offender. My household is changing how we do things in order to greatly reduce our carbon footprint.

    Reply
  5. Diogenes

    Solar and wind power will help. Responding to Julie above, I find we hardly ever eat meat and really don’t miss it. Air conditioners now can be what they call “ductless A/C” and can easily go into old apartment blocks. They just need a small external line.

    Reply
  6. Franki

    Canicule Cooler: A damp,rolled linen tea towel(or similar) draped around your neck has a cooling effect.Refresh each time you see a fountain with running water. Also, hold your wrists under the cool water to feel instantly refreshed.Sip water all day. It is so important to stay hydrated.

    Reply
  7. jackie

    It is so worrisome. We have a geothermal heating/cooling system and are installing solar this year. We rarely eat meat (never red.) I use all of the “gray water” for plants. I try to do what I can but it feels so overwhelming. I ordered something yesterday and it asked me if I wanted Amazon to deliver it within 12 hours, in the middle of the night! I thought that was outrageous. One thing? Coming to one person? Am I that important? Is it that important? There are amazon trucks and private cars delivering for them 24/7. I remember when we had no A/C and it was super hot. We’d wet our hair and shirts, then go outside for whatever breeze there was. It helped.

    Reply
  8. PJT

    While in Rome now, I said the exact same thing to my friends back in the States: I COMPLETELY understand why folks take siestas now! The air is difficult to breath in the unbearable heat and poor air quality. It burns the lungs. I walk in the mornings until 1pm, then take that siesta until at least 5pm. It is not laziness, it is necessity in this heat. Do anything to keep cool and stay healthy.

    Reply
  9. penni

    Your photos look like paintings. You always find a way to make things look beautiful and captivating. My heart goes out to everyone suffering in this heat!
    “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” -Genesis 1:28
    God actually told us, commanded *us* to take care of the earth, replenish it, to subdue it, to have dominion over it. He gave us personal agency, choice and accountability, but ya, a lot of us throw our hands up and parrot “This is not manmade! God is in control!” We have a choice, God gave us a choice.
    So many of us already and for decades have been doing everything in our power to slow/stop climate change, and they give me hope… but the corporations who are causing most of the damage always fight to keep profits over environmental needs. VOTE like our lives depend on it, because it’s becoming more and more evident it does.

    Reply
  10. Alan

    “Scientists first began in 1988 to insist that real action should be taken,” Weart said. This occurred at the Toronto Conference on the Changing Atmosphere(opens in new tab), where scientists and politicians from around the world gathered to address what was framed as a global threat to Earth’s atmosphere.
    And now here we are.
    (One of those articles where they mention somebody’s name earlier and then expect you to remember it. ‘Weart’.)

    Reply
  11. Elizabeth Schaeffer

    In checking our weather history here in the middle of the States, we had many many days of 100 degree plus temps back in the 1980’s. Check your history, you might find similar results. Perhaps we all have grown soft and worrying and complaining is easier than just going with the flow.

    Reply
  12. Marilyn M

    Beautifully expressed. And many of our powerful leaders here in the US- who know better – aren’t willing to make the big changes we need to help stop this.
    Raphael Warnock said it well too:
    “Any legislation we write/pass is a letter to our children”
    And how I live and what I do now is the same.

    Reply
  13. Nance Harper

    Does France sell “Portable Air Conditioners”?
    They stand on the floor with a hose that connects to a 6” deep mount you insert at bottom of your window. My apartment complex does not allow window A/C units and we all use the portable Air Conditioners. You can see them on Amazon.
    Cooler than fans.

    Reply
  14. Ed Schnurbusch

    The documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” came out 16 years ago and still, there is no change. Politicians give in to the influence of big business who’s only mission is to increase the profits of their shareholders. They only think about how much more they can have now instead of thinking about what we all will lose in the future. By the time big business decided to change, we will have already passed the point of no return. I fear we have already doomed our children.

    Reply
  15. marilyn

    In the USA I wish government officials would wake up and realize we are in dire times with climate warming. The world needs to come together to do all we can do to improve this situation. But yet, they bicker and ignore what is right in their face.
    No air conditioning in my home, curtains drawn to the sun and fans running.

    Reply

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