<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[&#039;Homecoming&#039; Blog]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[sueannbowlingauthor]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com/author/sueannbowlingauthor/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[North Pole Weather&nbsp;8/12/13]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/lilies-81113.jpg"><img loading="lazy" data-attachment-id="7744" data-permalink="https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com/2013/08/12/north-pole-weather-81213-ian1/lilies-81113/" data-orig-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/lilies-81113.jpg" data-orig-size="3648,2736" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1376225369&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.2&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;80&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.002&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="Lilies 8:11:13" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/lilies-81113.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/lilies-81113.jpg?w=1024" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-7744" alt="Lilies 8:11:13" src="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/lilies-81113.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/lilies-81113.jpg?w=300&amp;h=225 300w, https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/lilies-81113.jpg?w=600&amp;h=450 600w, https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/lilies-81113.jpg?w=150&amp;h=113 150w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>The sun rose this morning at 5:29; and it will set 16 hours 51 minutes later, at 10:20 this evening. Solar height at noon is now below 40°, we are still losing almost 7 minutes a day, and in a few days we will start having nautical night (sun more than 12° below the horizon) again.</p>
<p>We’re still running warm and dry for the season, with 3 more 80 degree days since last week, and only a trace of rain. Tuesday and Wednesday might hit 80 again, but mid-70’s are still pretty warm for this time of year in Alaska. I really hope we get more precipitation than the isolated showers predicted; I&#8217;m tired of smoke.</p>
<p><a href="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/mintherbs81113.jpg"><img loading="lazy" data-attachment-id="7743" data-permalink="https://homecomingbook.wordpress.com/2013/08/12/north-pole-weather-81213-ian1/mintherbs81113/" data-orig-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/mintherbs81113.jpg" data-orig-size="3648,2736" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1376225309&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.2&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;80&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.004&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="Mint&amp;amp;herbs8:11:13" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/mintherbs81113.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/mintherbs81113.jpg?w=1024" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-7743" alt="Mint&amp;herbs8:11:13" src="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/mintherbs81113.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/mintherbs81113.jpg?w=300&amp;h=225 300w, https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/mintherbs81113.jpg?w=600&amp;h=450 600w, https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/mintherbs81113.jpg?w=150&amp;h=113 150w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>Those lilies not badly stunted by the lack of water early on are opening, the zucchini is growing faster than I can eat it, and the mint is running riot in the raised bed, thanks to my hauling the hose around. This is increasingly difficult; my balance has deteriorated until I don’t dare water without a cane.</p>
<p>No pictures of me this week; the volunteer at the cancer center wasn’t there Friday. I need to go in again for labs today, so maybe today. My sister thinks I should go for red hair. I’m going to have little enough of my own by the end of the week!</p>
<p>Update 2:30 pm: My hematocrit and cell count have changed enough I won&#8217;t have to have a transfusion, and the volunteer at the support center was in so I spent the time between blood draw and results trying on wigs. Red and blond just didn&#8217;t work with my skin tone, but I now have a highlighted brown that I rather like. I took my laptop and photographed several I tried, so I&#8217;ll have a &#8220;chemotherapy fashion snow&#8221; on the blog Thursday..</p>
]]></html><thumbnail_url><![CDATA[https://homecomingbook.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/lilies-81113.jpg?w=300&fit=440%2C330]]></thumbnail_url><thumbnail_width><![CDATA[]]></thumbnail_width><thumbnail_height><![CDATA[]]></thumbnail_height></oembed>