Against the Storm

Springtime weather is always unsettled in North America. This year is no exception. Strong weather sweeps in from the Pacific acting as catalyst, mixing warm moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and cold Canadian air. It is a rather explosive combination which brings predictable destruction to the continent. North America is bound together by natural forces.

Those in the Midwest know the routine and keep a weather eye open. Early yesterday, before dawn, a storm front swept through Texas with high winds and copious amounts of rain. We were lucky, the storms broke north and south leaving us with just a couple of inches of rain. Another storm will follow along in due course; Maybe not so lucky next time.

The wind chime hangs on the edge of my porch facing South and West into the oncoming weather. I’m not a superstitious person but I understand the value of a talisman to act as guardian. There is something ancient in warding off danger with a carved stick or even a small metal bell. Being human, in the face of natural violence, I hedge my bets.

Water

Falling Water
Falling Water

The Texas Hill Country is filled with springs that feed small creeks. They mirror the levels of the underground aquifers that are the source of water in Central Texas. When the rains come, water percolates down into the limestone and eventually overflows onto the land as springs. Each spring has a unique habitat it supports.

We live in a world where the environmental balance is rapidly shifting. Conditions are not as predictable as they once were. There are now great concerns about the future viability of the precious aquifers we depend upon. For now the waters are flowing. The habitats they support are still intact.

In my lifetime I have witnessed devastation of much of our natural world. I will not pay the price for the squandering of our world but someone will. We are beings evolved to live within the natural environment of our planet. Our truly wonderful technologies cannot provide a substitute for our home on Earth.

Spring – 2017 No. 2

Hill Country Sunrise No. 2
Hill Country Sunrise No. 2

Another photo from the Texas Hill Country shot yesterday morning. The wildflower bloom in Central Texas will peak within the next few days. That gives me a chance to shoot some conventional landscapes and panoramas next weekend. You have to get out early to beat all the mothers and children doing family pictures among the flowers. It makes me smile to see the doting parents saving memories and embarrassing moments to show their grown children in a few years.