Extreme Heat Forecast for the week....again.

The weather forecast for this week in Kansas City is scorching.  It has been discussed that we take a little siesta for our paint outs until the dangerous heat lets up.  I will suggest a trip to your local library to check out some books on painting in Plein Air while you enjoy the comfort of the air conditioning!  Or possibly set up a still life in subjects blue in color so you can 'think cool' as you paint indoors.

For those of you traveling in cooler areas that continue to experience out door painting, please send me your photos and I will love to post them.  If you have book reviews you would like to share, as Jane Flanders did, please send that as well.  (Thanks Jane for that tip on a great book!)  If you take the challenge of the blue still life.....share it.

I will wait to be out of the danger zone before I post for location.  Check back in for other posts!

FYI:  Door County Plein Air Event will be in full swing this week.  We are hoping Kim Casebeer takes the prize!

Eleven things you can do to protect your health during times of extreme heat:

1. Do not use a fan as your primary source of cooling.  If your home does not have air conditioning, please go to a public building every day for several hours.

2. Never leave children, pets or others alone in closed vehicles: within minutes, the temperature inside a car can reach over 140 degrees and this can kill within minutes.

3. If you have to work outside or in a non-air-conditioned workplace, take frequent breaks, rest in the shade or cooler environment, and drink plenty of water.

4. Check on your neighbors, friends and relatives at least twice a day (morning and night).

5. Avoid too much sunshine, and postpone outdoor activities and games.

6. Avoid extreme temperature changes, such as a taking a cool shower immediately after coming inside from hot temperatures

7. Stay indoors as much as possible during the heat of the day in an air conditioned environment.

8. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to a public building every day for several hours.

9. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, to reduce heat and save money.

10. Conserve electricity not needed to keep you cool.

11. Dress for the weather: wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light-colored clothing; this type of clothing reflects heat and helps maintain normal body temperature. If you have to be outside, cover as much skin as possible to avoid sunburn. Protect your face and head with a wide-brimmed hat.

For more information about heat-related illnesses, visit the CDC's webpage about extreme heat: http://www.cdc.gov/Features/ExtremeHeat/.