Sunset in the Country

Wednesday September 2, 2009

Sunset in the Country

I am not a country girl. I was raised in the city. My early childhood was spent in an urban apartment situated above my family's restaurant in Memphis, Tennessee. I was surrounded by good food, memorable characters, and amazing music but no safe place to play outside. Eventually my family did move to the suburbs where I became acquainted with this place called a yard. I learned that a yard contained many pretty things (grass, bushes, flowers, and trees) which had the ability to instigate horrible attacks of sneezing in me.

My allergies have gotten much better through the years. This is a good thing because, as luck would have it, I fell in love and married an outdoor, country boy. Most of the time everything is fine because I make him play outside without me. However last night he asked me to go on a drive with him and watch the sunset. I mean come on, who could say no to a romantic request like that? Not me.

So off we went to the country with the car windows down and all the fresh air rushing in. We drove up and down wooded lanes and past crop fields. Finally we pulled off the road, and the car bumped through a pasture and to the top of a hill for our sunset view. My husband jumped out of the car to view the huge orange globe descending in the sky. He excitedly called out for me to join him.

I tried. I really did but by this time I had sneezed 15 times and couldn't see. My mascara had turned into a toxic liquid substance which had blinded me. I started stumbling towards him sneezing violently and shedding copious amounts of black tears. My husband, glancing back to see what was taking me so long, blinked when he got a good look at me. There was my face with a red nose in the middle and mascara and snot smeared all around it. It must have been lovely in the full orange illumination of the setting sun. To his credit he didn't comment on my ravaged face. Instead he guided me back to the car where we finished watching a beautiful country sunset.

Later, after a hot bath and an allergy pill, I was recuperating on the couch when the news announced that the air quality in some of the wildfire areas had reached dangerous levels. It seemed to be an omen that I should share a little information related to air quality with you today.

Basically the air quality index measures the level of 5 major air pollutants in the air and how this air might impact your health. The measurements are from 0 (perfect) to 500 (find an air tank immediately!). Generally speaking, anything below 100 is okay. However, when the numbers go above 100 you need to take precautions. If the A.Q.I. (air quality index)is 100-151 there could be moderate danger to sensitive groups. A.Q.I. of 151-200 is unhealthy, 201-300 is very unhealthy, and 301-500 is hazardous. Special care should be exercised to limit the amount of outdoor exposure for active children and adults and people with lung disease and asthma.

Clean air is one of the most fundamental requirements for health. If you are living in an area where the climate has been impacted by the recent wildfires, please take care.

Additional evacuation information is available at www.wineandchocolateplan.com