Summer Drought

   We are finally into the hottest days of our summer here in the Northeast. Yet many of us do not realize that it has been quite dry since the Spring, even though we seem to have had many stormy days. Now that the heat has finally kicked, and the lack of rain, there is evidence of vegetation burning up, animals searching for water. I find the wild rabbits sitting on the cool grass of the front lawn in the shade, birds searching for water.
   Currently in the New York area here, we are about 3 inches below what our normal rainfall is. We had only one big snowstorm this year, as compared to many storms over the last few years.

Very little water

   Now someone once told me, that when you have a lack of rain, and when things heat up, it is often followed by a storm such as a hurricane. This Fall, at the end of September, it will be exactly 4 years since the devastating

Hurricane Sandy struck the Northeast. Does history repeat itself? Are the conditions right for another strong hurricane system?
   Hurricane season starts on June 1, and ends on November 1. Things are usually very active around the end of August. So we shall see. We did have a mild winter, and when the waters of the Gulf Stream are very warm, it makes conditions favorable for storms.
   About a month ago, I visited my family in Florida. My sister in law wanted to take me out in their boat, but after we launched, we saw all these dark clouds. Knowing the severity of storms coming off the Gulf of Mexico, I was anxious to get back to shore. After I left and went home, there were reports of mini tornadoes in the area, so it is good we went ashore!

   Of course it is interesting information to learn about storms and weather patterns and phenomena of nature, but really my point is that when you learn to know these signs, and know about weather conditions and things that can be potentially dangerous, you are once again actively living a natural life. You are more attuned to what is going on around you and in nature.
   Another example of the drought was the journey up to the mountains last weekend. Because of the lack of rain, things were very, very dry, and there had been some forest fires as a result, which was very sad. I went to the local waterfall where I like to sit and read, but the water was barely a trickle as opposed to the rushing waters of Springtime. Often in Summer the water flow is less, but this is the worst I have seen in the ten years I have been visiting this state park.

On the mountain

   And in other parts of the country, like Texas, there have been massive floods, and in California and Arizona, more wildfires. And in Paris, unusual floods caused much destruction and there was fear that the art in the Louvre would be damaged. When I was in Paris years ago and walking to the Louvre every day, I never imagined it would be in danger of flooding.
   So different scenarios and situations for different places around the world, but it makes me think again about the balances of things. Too much water in some places, and not enough in others. It seems the planet is out of balance, and yet nature always seems to rebalance itself somehow.

Wishing balance to one and all

Maery