Using Shade to Your Advantage

Many years ago, I was walking down a winding country road and came upon a strolling dog who happened to be moving in the same direction as myself.

It was a hot Florida day, and I noticed that the dog, ambling along in a casual way, was clearly being the smarter of the two of us.  Why?  Because every time the road curved, he crossed over to the shady side!

Seeing the dog's wisdom, I did the same thing myself and noticed that it made a noticeable difference in how hot I felt.

Now, whenever I'm outside in the heat, I always make a point of trying to not just stay, but move in the shade whenever possible.  For example, instead of walking directly across the yard, I'll go slightly out of my way to stay in the shade on the edges.  As on the day when I watched the clever dog, it really makes a difference in how much I feel the heat, and is worth the few extra steps.

Likewise, when I'm doing tasks outside, such as hand watering, I look at my shadow on the ground.  If I can still accomplish my task but move any part of my own shadow into an existing shadow (from a tree, bush, etc.), I'll do it.  It not only keeps me a bit cooler, but it probably reduces my risk of skin cancer from sun exposure.

I know this sounds like simple common sense.  But it seems quite a bit easier to stay out of the sun by looking at your shadow than by just feeling whether the sun is hitting your head, for example.

On a really hot day, try it and see what you think!