Well, we're back in the middle of fire season. We've had planes overhead for two fires in the last month. They're frightening - flying very low over the house, one after the other.

I got an e-mail earlier this evening from a friend in Sacramento, asking whether we were affected by the fire she heard about on television. At the time, I wasn't aware of the fire, which is about five miles away from us. About 11 PM, we started smelling smoke. We went outside, and could hardly see anything - the smoke wasn't all that heavy, but it blocked out most light. The animals outside in the forest are making unusual sounds, and it's somewhat difficult to breathe. I guess we're in no danger, but it's scary. I suppose the planes will start early tomorrow morning - they don't fire at night, and the terrain is too rugged for ground-based firefighters to work in the dark. Wish us luck.
-Joe Offer-