Drove to San Antonio then on to Dallas and now back in
the woods. Live in quiet for a time and
it becomes difficult to be amongst so many people. The heat seemed more oppressive “over there”
than here but perhaps millions of autos and what seems an infinite number of
asphalt miles has a lot to do with creating oppressive temperatures. It’s still hot in deep South Texas and will
stay hot until the first “cool front” wafts through in mid to late October. The reprieve will be short-lived and within
days warm weather will once again settle over the region. The winter cycle of cool then balmy will
continue into early spring when unremitting heat will again take control. Indeed, it will come as a pleasant surprise
if temperatures ever dip below 40 degrees this coming winter. Now and then we get a freeze and though some
people, farmers mainly, deplore the frigid temps most of us revel in what we
think the season ought to feel like. In
other places chaotic climate produces not only severe heat and drought it also
makes for crippling blizzards. After
all, as tropical oceans heat up water evaporates into the atmosphere where
winds carry the water across the globe.
In places to the north a waterlogged sky dumps its cargo in the form of
heavy snows. All of this is to be
expected; it’s not as if increasing global temperatures make for nothing but
heat. But the dramatic melting seen in
Greenland is disturbing. And the
American Midwest is now in a severe crisis as rainless skies emit nothing but
scorching sunrays onto desiccated soils. Is this global warming or simply bad
weather? I wonder if statements like, “Its summer; get
over it,” are only admissions of underlying self-indulgence and profound foolhardiness
especially given the mountains of data indicating our climate is becoming more
and more chaotic. Some submit that
mature people will always err on the side of prudent behavior and take measures
to reduce any chance of human’s contributing to the chaos. Of course, the key word is “mature.”
