Keeping Cool : The Beauty of Shade

With temperatures forecast around 4OC or even higher, and hot sunny weather for the foreseeable future, my thoughts turn to survival mode. How does one keep cool? Just ask a local, for although these temperatures are exceptional , local people are used to hot sunny weather. Shade is the answer . Whether afforded by parasols, awnings , blinds, or trees, shade is a life-saver. Every evening as the air cools we open the windows , but in the morning, as soon as the sun returns, we close all windows , and most of our blinds and shutters. It is for that reason that windows in France always open inwards. In the U.K. that is not the case.

Parasols , awnings and blinds not only provide shade for those outside, but they shade our conservatory windows too. Beware ,though. If the wind blows, which it often does, parasols and awnings should be closed .

Jobs need to be completed in the morning before the sun is intense. It is also the only possible time of he day in which to walk, so sadly our daily exercise has much diminished.When we do walk through the forest, it becomes a case of dodging the intense sun, and searching out shade from the trees. There is no more welcome feeling than when you arrive beneath a tree's cooling boughs.

For most of the day, the sun is so intense we do not venture out. By evening we head to the pool and seek the shade while we watch the sun sinking in the sky , and feel the air cooling. But we are lucky for many people must continue to gain a living. I fear that the working day for outside workers in summer will have to be adjusted. I also wonder whether classrooms will become air-conditioned. I used to be a teacher. The thought of teaching in this terrible heat fills me with horror. Can people really still shake their heads and deny that this is the result of climate change?