It is supposed to reach record temperatures here this week. It's been over 100 degrees for the past two days. I know it's hot everywhere else on the East Coast too. It doesn't surprise me - look at the dates. The last week of June/first week of July. Classic. Ever since I was young, and living in Pennsylvania, this has been one of the hottest weeks of the year.
Why?
First of all, it's Folk Festival Week. It has to be the hottest week of the year for all the tourists, the grease frying, the funnel cake eating and the quilt viewing. People need to using their paper fans and handing out water in those little paper cups. And then people have to complain about how the heat keeps people from coming over the 4th.....or how it brings such a large crowd of bored spectators. It's almost like the heat is part of the tradition.
Secondly - and this confirms my nerdiness - it's the yearly anniversary of the battle of Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863). Just as is accurately portrayed in the movie, it was blazing hot those three days. Soldiers were probably collapsing from heat stroke just as quickly as they were from bullets - and think of all the animals too. Every year there is a huge re-enactment of the battle, and guess what? It's usually stinkin' hot. I have not yet attended this great event, but I'm sure it's a wonderful source of...let's say, "conversation" for everyone.
Well, the heat really does grab your attention; and it makes you think. As we visited a plantation this past week, Nathan and I put on our little thinking caps and mused on how heat and history played out together. So many great events have been affected by heat (or the weather in general); but it's also interesting to think about every day life. As we were touring the house, Nathan snidely remarked that he really liked the portraits of people in their "summer clothes" from the early 1900's. The man was wearing a full linen suit, with buttons up to his neck, and a hat. The woman was wearing a long gown buttoned-up to her neck, also with a hat. I'd actually say they were on the way to cooler dressing at that point in history; and being rich, at least they had clothing made of more "breathable" cloth.
Just imagine being a farmer and his wife in the 1800's. You'd have to sleep, eat, clean, work, bath, play and live in the heat. All the time. The men wore pants and long sleeved shirts (for protection and modesty) and they went out into the unshaded fields every day. Hoeing, digging, working with animals. Stinky! Then the women - oh the women! - they had to be even more covered with layers of clothing, long sleeves and heavy skirts. I have been trying to research the dress of the 1860's, and it really looks like they always wore long sleeves. Seriously. Then those poor women would cook over a fire every day - there was no electricity, remember? And take care of kids, clean the house...nurse...be pregnant. I seriously can't even imagine.
The point is, I am trying to not complain about the heat. I know it's hot and it's actually dangerous to children and older people too. But, we still have it pretty good. No matter how hot you get, or how long you stay outside, you can always think in the back of your brain...."I will soon be going into the AC, and there is cold, fresh water there." The only thing the people in the past have thought the end of a hot day was, "Oh good. I get to go home and try and find some shade on the porch." And at my house, in the shade today it was literally 101 degrees. Yea, that will cool you down!
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