The Dog Days of Summer
Posted: June 29, 2012 Filed under: life | Tags: birds, dog days, Dogs, faith, God, heat, heat waves, nature, summer, trees, triple digit temperatures, weather Leave a comment »
It’s clear to see that this heat wave is leaving it’s mark. As I stare out the window, the trees stand motionless. The lack of any kind of breeze makes them look lazy, their leaves aren’t even flickering. They’ve developed an attitude. They’re rebelling against the triple digit temperatures. It’s as if they’ve come to a collective agreement that the less they move, the cooler they will be. Trees are smart.
The heat has stifled the birds as well. Their probably huddled away in a cooler part of the tree top, trying to find relief beneath the thickest and broadest branch they can find. Perhaps they’re fanning each other with their wings. Its too hot to fly and too hot to squawk. There will be no foraging today for these birds. Just a lazy day spent in a lazy tree.
It’s eerily quiet. The heat wave has pushed the mute button on life. In fact the only sounds I hear are the rattling of the insects in the weeds and the familiar buzz of the A/C unit that sits just below my bedroom window. It’s odd for it to be humming along at such an early hour. It usually doesn’t kick on until the sun has fully risen. It just goes to show that the heat changes things. Things are not normal.
I guess we are in the dog days of summer but don’t tell my dog that. When I open the door to let her out, she looks at me like I’m stupid. ”Are you nuts?” she’s thinking, “I’m not like you. I can hold it.” The squirrels and chipmunks can wait. She has no desire to chase them today. She is perfectly content with sleeping all day underneath the ceiling fan and dreaming of autumn when the air is crisp and the sun goes down earlier. Dogs are smart.
We can acclimate to the heat in most cases. But not this kind of heat. This kind of heat slows everything down. It zaps us of energy. It’s another simple reminder of how God has control. He is dictating the pace.
The heat wave has us. We have to slow down and take shelter. Maybe God wants us to take it easy and suffer a little. There is little comfort when it’s 103 degrees. This is our opportunity to enjoy the silence, sit in the shade, sweat a little and enjoy something cold to drink.
Stay cool my friends.
Hanging with God in my own backyard.
Posted: April 27, 2012 Filed under: faith, life | Tags: backyards, barbecue, christian, christianity, Dogs, faith, God, nature, neighbors, sirens, spring, storms, summer, weather, yard work Leave a comment »
Our backyards are meant to be a sanctuary. A place to unwind and unplug. It’s our own little get away. No matter the size or condition, our backyards are a little slice of Eden.
When I’m in my back yard, my senses are alert. Besides the birds chirping and the leaves rustling, I notice that life is happening just beyond my fence.
I can hear the traffic moving a couple of miles away; that soft, muffled hum of rubber on asphalt. In the distance an ambulance siren wails, reminding me that life is short and that I should make the most of it.
The neighborhood dogs bark at each other from inside their own fences, as if they have some sort of secret language. My dog often joins in. I think they may be planning a rebellion. ”Forget the humans.” they say. ”We’ll run free and live off the land. Meet at the entrance at 0600. Bring treats.”
There are three storm sirens near my house. On stormy evenings they sing in an erie three part harmony. It’s a subtle reminder that even in the safety of my backyard, God is still in control and if He wants to drop a twister right on my fire pit, He’ll do so.
On Saturday afternoons, during the summer, I hear the familiar chorus of lawn equipment. Lawnmowers and leaf blowers growl. Weed eaters whine. The smell of freshly cut grass hangs in the air.
After all the yard work is done, my neighbors enter into barbecue mode. The aroma of meat on a grill makes my stomach gurgle. It holds my mind hostage. All I can think about is a juicy steak and an ear of corn, the menu of summer.
+ + + + + + +
More often than not, my backyard is a place to commune with my maker, surrounded by His creation. If I take the time to listen, I can hear Him clearly. He is reminding me of things.
He made the birds that jump around in the tree tops. But He cares for me more than them.
The rebellious dogs remind me that I am incapable on my own. I won’t make it without Him.
The wail of the ambulance reminds me of how fragile we are and how we should take advantage of the time He gives us.
The storm sirens tell me that He is all powerful.
The smell of the food in the air tells me that He is a provider.
God is always near by. Probably closer than you think. He’s sitting right next to you in a lawn chair, admiring your garden and pointing out that patch of dead grass.
He is not some distant being that hovers around in the universe. He’s right there with you.
Right in your own backyard.
The Pollenocalypse
Posted: March 23, 2012 Filed under: life | Tags: biology, birds and the bees, chemist, coffee, fuel, nature, plants, pollen, seasons, spring, trees, trees and plants, weather Leave a comment »We all should have developed an immunity to pollen by now. The same way we get used to the effects of caffeine and sugar. You would think that since we have been exposed to it for so long that we would, eventually, not succumb to the effects of it but that’s not the case.
It takes over our worlds and smothers us. And unless you work for a drug company or Kleenex, it makes your life miserable.
It’s not a disease or a zombie uprising. It’s the great pollenocalypse.
Pollen arrives each year with a bang. It covers our lawns, sidewalks and cars with that greenish/yellow hue. Our pets turn yellow. Our children turn yellow. It’s springs version of a winter snow storm. It blankets everything.
Of course pollen has it’s purpose. The birds and the bees and all that. You know the story.
But it seems a bit excessive. Why is there so much of it? It seems like such a waste of good pollen.
What if there were alternative uses for pollen other than the reproduction of trees and plants?
I’ve thought of a few:
Turn it into fuel. With fuel prices rising, wouldn’t it be nice to use our excess pollen as an alternative to gasoline. Surely there is a genius chemist or biologist out there who could invent the technology needed to do this. I’d be the first to buy a pollen powered car.
Donate it to tree-less countries. There are remote, third world cities and villages that do not have trees and plants. I’ve seen them on TV and magazines. Those poor kids sitting on the sidewalk without a tree to climb or without a lawn to walk through in bare feet. What a horrible way to grow up, in a life without tree houses and yards. A life without running through sprinklers or swinging from rope swings. This could all be changed if we gave our excess pollen away.
Use it as artificial flavoring. It already resembles sugar or salt. The same chemist and biologists that turn it into fuel could turn it into something sweet or savory. Imagine adding pollen to your morning coffee or adding a pinch of pollen into that casserole you’re making for dinner. I’m sure pollen has good nutritional value as well.
With daily pollen counts in the thousands, most of our pollen is going to waste. What would you do with it all?
