March 4, 2015 (Wednesday)
I suppose we should make a point of enjoying today’s weather because the forecast is for cold weather to move in tonight and hang around a while. The temperature is due to drop almost 40 degrees by tomorrow morning. As bad as our weather has been the last few weeks, ours is a paradise compared to many places in the good old U.S.A. Snow and ice, sleet and freezing rain, and gale force winds or stronger have dealt the country, including Texas, quite a blow. I don’t know about you, but it’s hard for me to wrap my mind around the idea that the earth is heating up when these conditions prevail. Guess I’ll get back on track when summer gets here again.
Hey, have you seen the wind map? It’s the neatest thing you ever saw, when it comes to graphic presentations of the weather. Click here to get as excited as I about it.
Do you remember the days before weather satellites? In those days we could not soar into the sky and look back at earth. Looking at a TV screen or computer monitor, we can see through the eyes in the sky, looking at our neck of the woods or seeing the entire planet if we like. What a day to be alive. Now we can see hurricanes being born off the coast of Africa and watch them make their trek across the Atlantic, sometimes ending their journey on our street and in our house. We never get to see the last hours before impact if it hits us because by that time the power is out and the stations may be off the air. But at least we know it’s coming. In 1919 Rockport, the Oertling sisters (Henrietta, Bertha and Minnie) paused by the bay on their way home from a party to share with each other their feelings of delight in seeing a beautiful full moon reflecting on the water–a peaceful sight through the Oak branches and swaying palms. They had heard nothing about a storm in the Gulf. The next day the eye of one of the worst storms ever to hit Texas rolled over Baffin Bay, spreading its terror northward to reek havoc, killing many people in this area. Thankfully, due to the technology of our day, we will never again be that surprised, although it should be remembered that storms seem to have minds of their own and sometimes make last minute changes that find people unprepared. We have to take the warnings seriously……oh, I’m sorry, we were talking about cold weather, weren’t we? Oh, well, the elderly can shift gears with impunity. Enjoy today. Stay warm tomorrow.