Friday, September 3, 2010

Hi and Bye, Earl


I'm in awe of the power of bugs - that they can chew such big holes in leaves, you know? I mean ... their teeth are so tiny! Wow.

Washington DC is close enough to the coast that when a big ole hurricane goes by, we can partake of the energy but almost always without having to weather the terrible destructive aspects of these storms. This morning for instance, it is overcast. Looking at the weather maps, I see that this overcast is a far-flung band of the western side of Earl, the hurricane moving up the east coast today. Here in DC there's no wind, no rain, and indeed today will be another very hot day, a kind of non-day actually, since hurricanes suck all the energy out of the atmosphere for hundreds of miles all around them. It will be hot but won't have any kind of resonance; the day will feel like nothing, heat without weather to accompany it. I wonder if that makes sense? The good news is that Earl will take the heat and toxic air with him, out to sea, up to Atlantic Canada, or wherever he is heading. Thanks, Earl!

Every now and then a hurricane will come ashore, give us a taste of its power. Ordinarily those storms make landfall in the Carolinas, or come up from the Gulf. The ocean is their power source, so by the time they arrive over DC, they've almost always worn themselves out. They are referred to as "the remnants of .." followed by the name of the storm. Even hurricane remnants are very powerful and frightening to small, delicate species such as ourselves.

The Atlantic Ocean is really in a mood this year. Following Earle is Fiona, then Gaston, and another not-yet-named storm. This is a year when waves of energy coming off the west coast of Africa, riled up by the warm water and atmospheric conditions over the sea, spiral and gain power. Wow. Some years the sea is calmer. I wonder what Sister Atlantic is so upset about. You know that's the way I think about these things. Sister, why so cranky this year? Or are you simply expressing yourself somewhat vociferously? I'm listening carefully. Whazzup?

I pray for the safety of all beings in the paths of these powerful vortices.

Happy Friday, y'all. And to those of us in the U.S., happy Labor Day weekend. Shalom.


The Chinatown metro station, photoshopped.

17 comments:

Barbara said...

The last pic definitely looks like a vortex! Very cool.

Barbara said...

As for the hurricanes, when I was growing up in the Florida panhandle, it was always very exciting when we got out of school and immediately went to buy candles. The winds and waves were always monstrous! I never considered that they were life-threatening when I was six.

jeanette from everton terrace said...

I have never thought about how tiny bug teeth are and their destruction. Interesting, this of course led me to think about bacteria and all the havoc it can wreak.
Arizona doesn't have to deal with hurricanes but I was in New Orleans, dropping off my daughter at college, when the order to evacuate for Katrina came - that's as close as I've come.

Reya Mellicker said...

Whoa Everton - that IS close!! Too close for comfort.

I think not only the metro station, but that intersection at H and 7th Sts. NW where the Chinatown gate is, is a serious whirling vortex. Not as strong as in the Capitol, but whoa!!

Tess Kincaid said...

It's tornadoes that scare the bejesus out of me. Stay safe out there.

Reya Mellicker said...

Tornadoes are so fast and violent if you're up close. They scare me to death, too. Hurricanes are storms in slow motion.

I love weather.

ellen abbott said...

Even tiny teeth can pack a wallop. I picked up a dying dragonfly and it was clutching the tip of my finger when it bit me. Yeow! It surprised the hell out of me. I tried to shake it off and it would not let loose.

Cyndy said...

I did a day trip to Assateague a couple days ago and the water was really rough - either pre-Earle or post-somebody else I guess. We got knocked over and dragged around a little bit when we were only in up to our knees!

X said...

I think you said sometime ago that the Atlantic is the moody sister to the calm Pacific. She is beautiful and violent and stores a shitload of energy that she is discharging....it keeps her healthy...ocean somatic therapy.

Elizabeth said...

Hot and sticky here
really looking forward to a little bit of Earl
always like a good storm providing no one gets hurt
a few flying branches and power outages are OK by me

Happy long weekend
relax and enjoy!

Reya Mellicker said...

Bitten by a dragonfly? That is so mythical!

Reya Mellicker said...

Elizabeth I am with you. It's exciting when the rain pours and Brother Wind kicks up his heels.

Tom said...

there's a tunnel under one of the art museums that is kind of wild too. i always loved the storms when i was a kid, the wind and gushing rains, and the funky colors and smells afterwards. I would love to experience a huricane someday, from a safe spot of course

Meri said...

Could it be Sis is riled up because of global warming?

Cheryl Cato said...

Love the metro photo! Have a great weekend. The weather is supposed to be grand here in central Texas.

Reya Mellicker said...

A non day all day. Now? A non night. Hope something shifts tomorrow!

Janelle said...

oooooooooooooooh love the photoshopped china town metro! work of art! xxx j