There wasn’t a cloud in the sky today, but there also was not a speck of blue to be seen. The sun looked like a flashlight whose bulb needs replacing. The whole smoky scene created a headache-inducing glare that would have kept me indoors for another day, if I hadn’t had errands to run. And oh, the smell of smoke in the air! It was enough to make a person choke and gag.

In fact, air quality officials in the area are actually advising people to stay inside. And yet, none of the big fires is even in this county. Fire is a problem wherever it’s burning; smoke is a problem everywhere for miles and miles around. I’d swear I saw waves of gray smoke wafting across the road as I drove to the post office this morning.

The wind, of course, is a mixed blessing in all this. Here, where there’s no fire, it would seem to help keep the bad air from settling in (although I couldn’t see much evidence of that on this particular particulate day). Out there where grass and trees are burning, the wind is no blessing at all and only makes things worse. Which, in turn, makes things worse here, so I guess it’s not all that mixed.

By midday, I could smell the smoke even inside the house with all doors and windows closed. It’s a situation not conducive to working at peak efficiency, but I had time cards in front of me and payroll checks to write, so I managed to plug away at it despite the occasional wave of nausea. This evening, the smell was more bearable, but the air still hadn’t cleared. I’m looking forward to seeing blue sky again soon.