Annette, I know about swamp coolers. When my Sister lived in Utah they had a swamp cooler. I always thought it was such an interesting name for some kind of air conditioner thingy. And I never realized what they actually were, and having your description was very, very cool, I love to know about stuff. What an interesting invention, eh?
Wow, when JP said your temps had got to 108F (42C) I had to look up what it was in celsius, because that is how I now judge temperatures. Canada went to metric many years ago, and I now actually think in metric for most things, except for body weight, stuff stuck on the pounds, no clue about body weight and kilograms. That is some smokin', smokin' hot, hot, hot!!! No wonder you were going nuts!!!! :'( ;) :) You say now that your temperatures have gone down to about 90F (32C). That is still pretty smokin' hot, in my mind. When we were at our Daughter's house last week, their temperatures were 32C and it was nasty, I found it way, way too hot for comfort, and loved to be inside their air conditioned house, hee, hee. We don't have air conditioning, would never want it. My doors and windows are open from the moment I get up in the summertime, until the moment we go to bed. We live in an area where even if we go out, we don't close our doors, they remain open at all times, except for our bedroom, which is locked with keyless entry. We haven't been broken into ever since we lived here. I think the open doors when we go out gives the appearance of someone being home, and then there are the dogs.....bless their souls!!!! ;) :) :) :) just try and get in....
Our average summertime temperatures are between 25-27C (77F to 80F). Yesterday it was very warm and got up to 29C (84F), really, really hot in my mind. Those are perfect summertime temperatures to me, any hotter and it is too hot. I feel for you all that have hotter temperatures than these. I really do. Oh rats!!! I am sorry, I am ramblin' and got way, way off topic.
The blackberry flow lasts for about one month's time, now that is alot of nectar to be sucked up and brought home. Alot....Sunshine ever since the flow has began, moisture that remains within the ground because of the climate. Well...that makes for a pretty good flow I would think. As said, last year the bees all missed most of this flow. The weather was rainy and too nasty for that entire flow month, almost. It was so bad. This year I bet there will be bumper crop honey harvest. Which would be nice. I have never got an awful lot of honey yet from my bees. Last year only about 4 gallons, the year before about the same and the year before that, the first year, about one gallon. Right.....which reminds me, I have to start a new topic because I have some very important questions about stuff....have that most wonderful, best day, that you can muster up. Cindi