It’s all about perspective.

Things are starting to heat up in South Dakota. In fact, the temperatures soared above 90 a couple of times this week. And you know what? Nobody around these parts seemed to mind a whole lot.

That’s probably because we remember the events of this past winter all too well. It really wasn’t that long ago that we were out shoveling snow and most of us can recall those weeks on end of sub-zero windchills. And we all know that it is just a matter of a few short months before we could be dealing with less than ideal conditions again.

So, when things got a bit uncomfortable this past week, I never heard a peep from the people I was around. Not only that, but all of us, whether we live in the city or in the country realize how important agriculture is to this state. We should also know that farmers have had a major problem getting into their fields because of all of the moisture we’ve have the past few months. Hot and windy days, as uncomfortable as they may be, are a welcomed site these days, helping to dry out those fields.

It’s no secret that I am a fan of cool weather (not cold, just a bit on the cool side). However, as I mowed and played tennis in the heat this week, there were no sighs of unrest or complaints of lack of shade. I take the same approach to summer as I do winter. If it’s warm or hot in the summer, that’s what it is supposed to be. The same with being cold in the dead of winter. If it were 90 in January or minus 20 in July, then we would have something to talk about.

And really, there are times when I wonder if we really know what it means to be hot in South Dakota. It’s not like we’re routinely above 100 degrees around here like some southern states are. Granted, we do have to deal with the humidity, which at times can make 80 degrees seem downright unbearable. However, even the humid conditions help the crops, so it’s all part of the process of living in the Midwest.

No, whether dealing with heat or humidity, I can manage just fine for a few short months in the summer even if I like to be a bit on the cool side. Now, if we could just do something about those pesky mosquitoes.