Hot, Hazy and Bears

Yesterday morning, while waiting for the local bus, the temperature rose 3 degrees in 12 minutes.  I wore my jeans yesterday morning - not that the 55 degrees felt cold; it was the 88% humidity that did that.  Then the humidity seemed to burn off, or away, and it ended up in the low 90s.  Today we're supposed to reach 89 (F) in Boulder, but we might go into the 90s again.  We are still dealing with air quality advisories, high particulates, and lots of smoke and haze from the western wildfires.  Usually at this time of year, the view of the Flatirons is crystal clear.  This is the view today:

And may blessings pour upon the fire fighters out west, as well as their families.  They all certainly deserve our thanks, and some quiet vacation time.  I'd love for a huge low pressure system to form and cause a week-long light rain to fall over all of the western states - Colorado included.  It would put out the fires and wash the air clean, and give the fire fighters a much-needed break.

   Today is the second day that the judge, lawyers, and Aurora shooter are hearing from victims and their families regarding how their lives have changed.  The shooter sits there and twists in his rotating seat and smiles into the distance.  I have to say that I'm sorry he was sentenced to life without parole; I feel he should have been given the death penalty.  Period.

   Yesterday, there was an adult black bear wandering near the CU campus (it was the first day of classes at CU).  Today, less than a block from my apartment, there are two cubs and a mother black bear in trees in a residential yard.  Wildlife officials and police are hoping the bears will travel back towards the west, the open space, and the mountains at dusk tonight.  In the meantime, they are drawing photographers, and causing traffic jams...