Summer Rut.

Last evening, on our way to the store, the dog stood in the front seat, put her face an inch and a half from the A/C vent, closed her eyes about halfway, and took small, gentle bites of the cool air. Smiled while she did it. We had the windows down. She chose the A/C. It is highest summer.

There's a little breeze out there today, but there was yesterday, too, and it was still mid-nineties and crackling dry. One starts to wonder if it might ever, ever rain again.