Or
maybe it does.
And
that’s the problem. (Or at least the question.)
We
keep our house at a pretty consistent temperature year-round.
We have a central system, so the heat and air conditioning are
all controlled using the same thermostat. About the only challenge
can be sliding the settings switch between heat to cool in the
spring and fall.
For
our efforts today, pick your favorite temperature. 68-degrees.
72-degrees. 64. I don’t care. But just imagine that the house
stays right at that temperature every day of the year.
Got
that?
Good.
Why
does the butter you left on the counter end up softening in the
summer, but never really in the winter?
My
guess is someone might try to explain how hours of daylight might
become involved. Maybe toss in something about ultraviolet this
or that. Could even be someone that tries to discuss how the butter
was made, and the quality of ingredients involved, and… well…
I’m
not buying it.
This
has been happening in different houses, with different brands
of butter, over years. We don’t leave the butter on the counter
in direct sunlight. And, we tend to cook more in the kitchen during
the winter, so if anything, there likely should be December and
January moments where the burners on the stove are hot and the
oven is open.
Funny
enough, I can’t do any research into it. The reality is no one
is talking about this specific problem. (Go ahead. Look it up.
You’ll find all sorts of links to USDA and other official sounding
agency advice about safe butter storage. You’ll find plenty of
links suggesting how to get the butter to room temperature, or
how to soften it properly in a microwave without ending up with
a plate full of liquid butter. But in no place that I have found
does anyone discuss why the butter softens in July but not January.)
Did
you know there is research being done into why some species of
birds seem to recognize when the hurricane season will be stronger
or weaker? True. We have all sorts of scientists, with generations
of data and the most current Doppler equipment, telling us what’s
coming from the Atlantic hurricane season. And apparently, there
are a group of birds flying across the Gulf of Mexico with access
to no Doppler feedback, but they are achieving better accuracy
in predicting the storms.
I
mention the birds because often, the best observations (and more
accurate answers) come from asking the right questions (or seeing
the right information).
We
happen to be able to find out times for sunrise and sunset each
day with ease. Almost every full weather report on the local news
will include the information. But you never see a group of mourning
doves outside huddled around a cell phone to check on it.
Animals
don’t have the latest and greatest apps available to support their
observations. They don’t have a written calendar to check. And
yet, I think we could all agree that chances are pretty good that
animals are able to sense, witness, observe, or in whatever ways
available notice changes taking place in their surroundings. In
fact…
I
would contend that animals might actually notice things more quickly.
The need for food and water alone could allow them to sense approaching
drought conditions, as just one example. We know it hasn’t rained.
The idea of a water shortage makes sense when we get told. But
with us heading to the faucet or reaching for a water bottle to
meet our needs, the dropping waterline in the local watering hole
isn’t a piece of information we gathered.
Why
is the butter on the counter softening?
I’m
pretty sure it’s not a predictor of the next hurricane season.
(But I probably shouldn’t just dismiss the possibility.)