The Changing Moods of Mother Nature

Mother Nature is one fickle girl - she can blow soft breezes that caress the land in a bright, laughing sun




or she can sprinkle the landscape with a gentle shower that bathes the green trees and washes the faces of the flowers








For some reason, sometimes, Mother Nature gets angry with thunder and lightening and wind driven rain. Usually, the flowers and the trees are immune to her anger, bowing before her wrath but standing tall and bright in the afterglow





Then sometimes, Mother Nature's wrath builds - one can feel it in the air - a hot, heavy, still air that portends something happening. One can see her wrath building in the black clouds boiling to the west















The rain is harder, blown in the angry wind

Mother Nature throws balls of ice in her tantrum which slam into roofs and cars and defenseless plants.









The hail washes from the eaves to collect in piles under the downspout.




After Mother Nature's tantrum has passed, the damage is surveyed - the fading iris blooms are battered, but still standing tall and proud.

But Mother Nature is not finished with her wrath - she builds again to the west - the clouds are blacker and angrier as they swirl and boil.

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We stand and watch as she moves closer and closer, hoping it will pass but knowing that this storm is too big and too close to simply slip on by.

We can hear her before she hits - a roaring off to the west, we can see trees start to bend and the sheets of liquid pour from the sky

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And then she is here - much angrier than before, throwing wind and hail and rain as hard as she can.

Rivers of water form and flow turning paths into raging streams boiling with white water.








Lakes form on the streets and garden plants become submurged in the murky water.

The terraced steps are submerged under a layer of water.

And then, suddenly, she is quiet, her wrath calmed in the sun's return.

The consequences of her wrath are laid bare for all to see.

Rhubarb lays flat, it's giant leaves stripped and filled with holes.

The strawberry plants, just starting to give us their bright red berries are alive, but bruised.



The tender young leaves of the hosta were no match for the Mother's wrath, they have been ripped to shreds.









Water and rain and wind have changed the landscape, where there were wood chips, black dirt is left, the chips having been driven onto the lawns by the force of the water.

The plants which had bloomed and blossomed and filled out in the spring are bent and twisted and broken in the aftermath.

Lakes of water cover the streets and sidewalks and lawns - a testament to the amount of water that fell and yet still an enticing wonder to a little boy.



























But Mother Nature is not done with her wrath on this day as she boils up again to the north.

Damage surveys are put on hold as we run for cover as the raindrops begin to fall








But she is spent, her wrath is done, this rain falls for only minutes through sunshine breaking through the clouds to the west.

And within minutes - it is done - the birds in their wisdom sing songs to welcome the sun back and calm Mother Nature. The rivers turn to gentle streams and soak into the ground. Within minutes they are gone, leaving behind canyons and ruts, a reminder of her force.

Sonnet: Don’t Blame Nature

Why challenge Mother Nature, man, in vain?

Accept her superiority and pow’r;

One can’t traverse with equal speed each lane;

Take blame for every flood, wind, drought and show’r!

When hot, the excess steam must be let off;

When cold, one needs to cover to gain heat;

When Nature’s in a furious mood, don’t scoff;

Find solutions better and don’t retreat.

When Nature sends a breeze, man loves her touch;

When Nature blows a wind fierce, men rant, rave;

Yet, Nature balances her acts so much;

From natural disasters, man ought to save.

Align with Nature:

Love the way she works;

But cursing God brings man more Nature’s jerks!

Copyright by Dr John Celes 9-6-2005

So she is calm again and morning brings her gentle side, the damage will be surveyed, pruning and raking and staking can cover the bruises left behind. The roots of the plants remain strong and will send out new shoots. Mother Nature will recover and we need to remind ourselves that it could have been worse - the damage to a few plants is small compared to the loss of property or life.

The wrath of Mother Nature will return again, we can never be sure when or how angry she will get. Nature does balance and we will soon forget this angry outburst as we bask in her calm and gentle side.