Nose for News, By Sarah Stultz

I’ll be the first to admit I have a love-hate relationship with the weather.

When it’s cold, I want it to be warm, and when it’s warm, somehow it gets too warm and I want it to be cooler. Spring and fall are my favorite seasons of the year particularly because of the comfortable — or should I say more comfortable  — temperatures.

It’s hard to believe that a little more than a month ago, we received about 9 to 12 inches of snow in the area, and I was driving around with our publisher, Crystal Miller, to take photos of people digging out of the snow and getting pulled out of ditches.

Fast forward now a little more than a month, and we have had temperatures in the mid- to upper 90s with the heat index in the upper 90s to over 100.

Heat advisories were issued over our extended holiday weekend because of the increased likelihood for heat illnesses.

We skipped straight over spring and went right into summer.

It was challenging for me as one of my goals of the weekend was to get my garden tilled and planted.

On the advice of the National Weather Service and others, I tried to limit my activity until the evenings, but even then I would finish my tasks drenched and exhausted. It is what it is, I guess, and as Minnesotans we learn to roll with the punches.

The highlight of it all is that at least the sun is shining and the flowers are blooming. The beautiful colors of flowers are my silver lining to hot, muggy summers — that and the satisfaction that comes with having a garden. And of course, being able to wear flip flops, too.

The silver lining to winter weather? Even with the intense heat of summer, I think there are still more pros to the summer than cons — though tornado season can be a little scary.

Which season do you like best?

Back home where my parents live in southwestern Virginia, there has been intense rainfall and flooding in parts of their community the last few days.

Then of course, there was Subtropical Storm Alberto making landfall in Florida Monday evening.

I think Minnesota isn’t the only place that has had crazy weather this year. We’re seeing less predictability in weather everywhere as time goes on.

Have any good tips for staying cool in the heat without having to be confined to an air-conditioned home?

Send the ideas my way. You can reach me at sarah.stultz@albertleatribune.com.

Until next time, stay cool, and enjoy the sunshine!

Sarah Stultz is the managing editor of the Tribune. Her column appears every Tuesday.