it’s not nice to fool Mother Nature

Posted bySheila Morris 11 Comments on it’s not nice to fool Mother Nature

The mysterious Mother Nature has once again visited the Gulf Coast with a massive Category 4 hurricane benignly named Harvey which will leave the coastal areas in Texas where I grew up with devastating losses of property and lives. The best preparations, precautions, evacuations – no matter what the plans put in action to avoid catastrophes are, we struggle to survive the floods and winds that hurricanes bring. Mother Nature can be relentless.

She can also be a goddess of good weather in one location while she strikes another one with terror. Fickle? clearly.

Today on this Sunday, the last one in August of 2017, I woke and went outside with Spike and Charly to inspect the weather. What I saw was the unmistakable beginning of autumn as the leaves from our trees began to fall in the swimming pool. What I felt was a slight, very slight, shift toward a lower temperature in the air around me as a whisper of a south wind blew our Pride flag in a knot on the flag pole.

Pretty and Charly took advantage of the gorgeous day to spend a few hours outside as the days dwindle down to a precious few for pool time.

Charly watches Pretty’s preparations

leaves, leaves and more leaves

Charly suns along with Pretty

Hurricane Harvey will ultimately dissipate as all hurricanes do, but Mother Nature’s cruelty will linger for months or possibly years on the Gulf Coast of Texas as the waters recede and the people rebuild, but the sun will shine just as bright as it did on Cardinal Drive today…the stars at night will be big and bright deep in the heart of Texas. May that day come quickly.

 

Published by Sheila Morris

Sheila Morris is a personal historian, essayist with humorist tendencies, lesbian activist, truth seeker and speaker in the tradition of other female Texas storytellers including her paternal grandmother. In December, 2017, the University of South Carolina Press published her collection of first-person accounts of a few of the people primarily responsible for the development of LGBTQ+ organizations in South Carolina. Southern Perspectives on the Queer Movement: Committed to Home will resonate with everyone interested in LGBTQ+ history in the South during the tumultuous times from the AIDS pandemic to marriage equality. She has published five nonfiction books including two memoirs, an essay compilation and two collections of her favorite blogs from I'll Call It Like I See It. Her first book, Deep in the Heart: A Memoir of Love and Longing received a Golden Crown Literary Society Award. Her writings have been included in various anthologies including Out Loud: the best of Rainbow Radio, Saints and Sinners New Fiction from the 2017 Festival, Mothers and Other Creatures; Cowboys, Cops, Killers, and Ghosts (Texas Folklore Society LXIX). She is a displaced Texan living in South Carolina with her wife Teresa Williams and their dogs Spike, Charly and Carl. She is also Naynay to her two granddaughters Ella and Molly James who light up her life for real. Born in rural Grimes County, Texas in 1946 her Texas roots still run wide and deep.

11 replies on “it’s not nice to fool Mother Nature”

  2. I’m praying for your Texas family and friends, including the fabulous Huss brothers, members of my riding friend Rosemary’s family who have been evacuated from their Houston homes (in army trucks!!) and all the poor animals caught in the tempest.

    Here in Pennsylvania, the weather is glorious. Not a sign of Nature’s wrath. The end of summer makes me sad. I’ll hang on your prediction of sunshine’s return knowing the aftermath of a hurricane often brings out the best in people.

    Enjoy the sights and sounds of late summer in South Carolina. Much love!!

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    1. Thank you, my dear Pennsylvania friend. I am so glad you had a glorious day today, too. I’m so sorry we didn’t get a chance to visit this summer – Pretty calls it the summer of Canterbury – I’m sure you have other names just as fitting.
      Please give Pops, Cassie P, the Doctor and Miss Frankie our love from Cardinal Drive tonight – extra kisses for all – including you!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Ah, yes! The Summer of Robbing Peter to Pay Paul and The Summer of Canterbury are no doubt cast from the same mold! 😉

        Love you my friends. The dogs enjoyed the kisses. The ponies will get theirs tomorrow along with peppermints from both of you. ❤

        Liked by 1 person

  4. Sheila your prayers for your Texas family are appreciated. So far we are all safe and blessed and thankful. Enjoy the beautiful day you have for us… They are saying now Harvey will be hanging aroynd through Wednesday. Anne sends her love too!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I texted with Nita today and asked her about you and your family and Anne, too.
      The pictures from Richmond/Rosenberg have been perfectly horrible so we have been so worried. Thank the good Lord for these blessings. Our love to you all tonight,
      Sheila

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