Frosts and Seasonings

April 8, 2013

 

(Since it’s the first time one encounters these many variations of climate and weather conditions, one is compelled to express the array of emotions and expressions one experiences in the event.)

 

I was just going through the previous page and enjoying the depth of my ignorance when I wrote it. Well on my support it was the start of winter and the show had only just begun. Later on, when the winter caught up on its full swing the snow wasn’t that admirable after all. There were days when I stayed indoors, for days without even a tiny peek outside. Literally; and that was because I hated what I saw outside. There was not a single leaf on the trees just the trunk and the branches. They looked like skeletons, alive but still and indifferent to the coldness of nature plausibly. Some of the days showed up with spotlights of sunrays without much warmth and then there were also those grey days with light showers, all with a common denominator of strong and chill winds.

 

March 20^th was supposed to be the start of spring. But we had to wait for almost another month to finally call it. There was a heavy snow forecast towards the end of March on the Palm Sunday. The Sunday church service was moved to Saturday evening. Almost everything that ran on the road and moved on the sidewalks stayed clear off the usual paths. Mr. Jones even lost one of his strong sturdy branches in the course. It snowed continually for 2 days ,the scenes reminding us of the shot from Narnia. The whites looked just like frostings on a wedding cake, beautiful and un-tampered. It took another couple of days for all the melt offs. It was as if winter reserved its best shows for its last days.

 

Today is a very clear and sunny day, probably the first one since I am here. The sunrays are all over and not just in spotlights. I have left all my windows open as wide as I can to welcome the fresh air and the aroma of nature that’s blossoming around and also to let out all the dampness and cooking odors from the inside. I was wondering of all such things people are gifted with in a life time that goes unnoticed and without appreciation. The pleasures of a warm and pleasant climate will certainly make top on my list of things taken for granted.

 

And no wonder why Mr. Jones looked so gloomy and withered all through these past months. His branches reaching up to my bedroom window gives a wonderful view of his tiny green leaflets growing all over his dried up branches. His tenants are back. A birdie with a nice cozy nest is brooding over her precious ones. I am guessing its a Thrush family. In a couple of days I am hoping to find the nature back in sounds and colors again.

 

The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month. (Henry Van Dyke)

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April 11, 2013

 

Oh! Yesterday was one scary night. We had a thunder storm forecast with a full package. Tornadoes, hail, strong winds you name it.While I was taking my morning break I had this feeling that I should try and pen down the pictures of last night’s t-storm. Thankfully, the horrors of last night didn’t come our way which is probably why I feel more motivated to write this peice. These are times when we feel sure that someone above is watching over us.

There was a warning siren before it all started. It stayed on for a couple of minutes making sure everyone with an eardrum around a particular radius takes notice. Honestly, for the first time in life I felt fear for the rain. I stood by the window watching it for some time just when a vivid flash of lightning followed by its better half struck. I was so spooked that I took a hurdle and landed on the other side of my bed. And that was a complete reflex action; because under normal circumstances I am totally incapable of making any such wild physical movements. Hubby and I found our take-and-run belongings and debated for a while whether or not to go down to the shelter. He was more worried about our most valuable possession parked outside under the bare sky with threats about a hail on the way. We were concerned because a year back around this time there was a surprise hail which smashed away all the cars in the parking lot.

 

Since we couldn’t come to a decision we tried peering through our glass windows to try and make out what our neighbors were doing only to find them doing the same. Finally, we switched on the weather channel to see what the weather guy had to tell. After 10-15 minutes we were relieved to hear that the weather was calming down to just thunder, lightning and storm. It seemed, the tornado stopped at around 8 miles from here and decided to stay and wreck the place down. The hail did the same on the way. Luckily for us either of them didn't feel like paying us a visit.

 

We stayed in our rooms feeling happy and relieved that we had each other’s company to cut through the storm. We stood by the windows watching the storm. Mr. Jones was swaying so wild. That’s when I remembered Mr. Jones’ new tenants. I could make out the nest in the dim lightning and the lady sitting there all wet and swooped inside the space of her tiny nest. I knew the poor thing did not stand a chance in such unkind weather. I hoped and prayed Mr. Jones kept her safe somehow. I stood by the window watching her because that’s all I could do. I couldn’t reach out for her through the window or even go outside to get her if she falls let alone climb up the tree before she does. As the time went by I found that the lady lasted longer than I assumed she would. I knew then that I didn’t have to worry about them at all in the first place.

I woke up this morning and the first thing I did was check on how Mr. Jones and his tenant were doing. Mr. Jones looked weary and tired of the last night’s ordeal but his limbs were all intact. The lady and her nest were safe, drenched and cold; all hunched down but alive and safe.

 

But the dove found no place to set her foot, and she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her and brought her into the ark with him. (Genesis 8:9)