Praying for Rain
30/06/12 04:35
It has been hot around here. The warmest day this week was Tuesday, when the temperatures topped 100 degrees throughout the hills. Then it was cooler Wednesday with the highs in the last couple of days reaching into the ‘90’s. That is to be expected. The end of June and the beginning of July are summer around here. And we really have nothing to complain about. The temperatures are a lot hotter elsewhere and the fires in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Utah are more intense and far more dangerous than what we’ve got going in the hills right now.
Still it is hot. And we’ve got fires in familiar places. And we keep sniffing the air and wishing for rain and thinking of cooler days.
I know that different people have different metabolisms, but I seem to be of northern European descent and I feel like I was made for winter. I enjoy living in a place with all four seasons, but I’m not a big fan of the warmest days. I prefer the other three seasons to summer, if the truth is told. If it weren’t for the short days all winter long, I think I could tolerate places farther north just fine. Say Jasper, in Canada. There is a place with a climate that I could get used to. As it is, I am grateful to live in this place. It has a climate that suits me fine.
I wouldn’t mind it if it got a bit cooler at night right now, however.
The tomatoes, on the other hand like this weather just fine, thank you very much. As long as I keep them watered, they’re thriving and I’m starting to think about the taste of that first garden tomato. Mmm. There’s nothing like that.
Our friends, Mitch and Jeri Behringer were riding their motorcycle home from a picnic Wednesday night and they stopped by Sheridan Lake. Sheridan Lake is my favorite boating spot in the hills. They took a picture of the Dakota fire burning on the shores of the lake. The fire is now nearing containment, but the lake remains closed to boating. The road, however, was opened to public travel yesterday, so I may slip up to take a look sometime this weekend.
We’re in no danger. That fire is ten miles from us. The homes that were placed on evacuation notice have all been successfully defended and there were no actual evacuations required by this fire. Actually we’re lucky. The area where most of the fire was concentrated has been cleared of the bark beetle infested trees and was a pretty fire-safe area. Because the trees had been thinned, the fire remained on the ground for the most part and many trees will survive the burn.
The fire has meant that our mornings are pretty smoky around here. You can smell and see the smoke hanging in the dense air before the wind picks up in the morning. I’m sure that all of that smoke is a problem for some people, especially those who suffer from allergies or asthma. Fortunately, I haven’t noticed any ill effects to the smoke, but breathing all of that junk can’t be good for anyone.
The upside of all of the smoke is that it makes for gorgeous sunrises and sunsets. The sun gets a particular shade of orange when it is low in the sky that is not matched by any other conditions. I know the look of a smoky sunrise or sunset.
With the fire burning at Sheridan Lake, I decided to row in Canyon Lake this morning. Canyon Lake is very small. As soon as I get going in one direction, it is time to turn. But I am not a skilled rower and I’m mostly getting in a bit of practice in advance of the official launching of the new rowboat. We’ll have some kind of formal launch party when our daughter and son-in-law are here next week.
Today we have a baptism in the morning. Military deployments are not scheduled around the convenience of families and we simply could not find a Sunday when all of the grandparents could get together and the father is facing deployment, so Saturday it will be. I love baptisms, but so does the congregation, so having most of them miss out on the event is a bit sad. I’m working with a lay minister who is a member of our congregation to forge a service that is meaningful and where the presence of the congregation can be felt, even though most of them will be elsewhere.
There is a committal service in Belle Fourche in the afternoon, so the day will be full. Still, I’m, getting this blog published early so that I will be able to go row a bit before all of the activities begin. Rowing is good exercise and I’m gaining skill with each stroke. A few years ago Richard Bode wrote a wonderful little book: “First You Have to Row a Little Boat: Reflections on Life & Living.” I can’t help but think of him as I sit in my little boat with the oars in my hands. “For the truth is that I already know as much about my fate as I need to know. The day will come when I will die. So the only matter of consequence before me is what I will do with my allotted time. I can remain on shore, paralyzed with fear, or I can raise my sails and dip and soar in the breeze.”
He’s got it right. So I choose not to remain on shore. I try to dive deeply into life each day and to feel the rise and fall of the swells and know the cool of the breeze on my face.
On hot days being out on the lake on a cool morning is a blessing. Of course the freedom of a hand-made, person-powered boat is a blessing at any time. It only takes a glance at the paper to be reminded that I’ve got it really lucky. So as I paddle, I’ll be praying for those who have lost their homes in the fires. And if I get around to praying for rain, I’ll pray for rain for Colorado. We need the rain, but we’ll wait if need be.
Still it is hot. And we’ve got fires in familiar places. And we keep sniffing the air and wishing for rain and thinking of cooler days.
I know that different people have different metabolisms, but I seem to be of northern European descent and I feel like I was made for winter. I enjoy living in a place with all four seasons, but I’m not a big fan of the warmest days. I prefer the other three seasons to summer, if the truth is told. If it weren’t for the short days all winter long, I think I could tolerate places farther north just fine. Say Jasper, in Canada. There is a place with a climate that I could get used to. As it is, I am grateful to live in this place. It has a climate that suits me fine.
I wouldn’t mind it if it got a bit cooler at night right now, however.
The tomatoes, on the other hand like this weather just fine, thank you very much. As long as I keep them watered, they’re thriving and I’m starting to think about the taste of that first garden tomato. Mmm. There’s nothing like that.
Our friends, Mitch and Jeri Behringer were riding their motorcycle home from a picnic Wednesday night and they stopped by Sheridan Lake. Sheridan Lake is my favorite boating spot in the hills. They took a picture of the Dakota fire burning on the shores of the lake. The fire is now nearing containment, but the lake remains closed to boating. The road, however, was opened to public travel yesterday, so I may slip up to take a look sometime this weekend.
We’re in no danger. That fire is ten miles from us. The homes that were placed on evacuation notice have all been successfully defended and there were no actual evacuations required by this fire. Actually we’re lucky. The area where most of the fire was concentrated has been cleared of the bark beetle infested trees and was a pretty fire-safe area. Because the trees had been thinned, the fire remained on the ground for the most part and many trees will survive the burn.
The upside of all of the smoke is that it makes for gorgeous sunrises and sunsets. The sun gets a particular shade of orange when it is low in the sky that is not matched by any other conditions. I know the look of a smoky sunrise or sunset.
Today we have a baptism in the morning. Military deployments are not scheduled around the convenience of families and we simply could not find a Sunday when all of the grandparents could get together and the father is facing deployment, so Saturday it will be. I love baptisms, but so does the congregation, so having most of them miss out on the event is a bit sad. I’m working with a lay minister who is a member of our congregation to forge a service that is meaningful and where the presence of the congregation can be felt, even though most of them will be elsewhere.
There is a committal service in Belle Fourche in the afternoon, so the day will be full. Still, I’m, getting this blog published early so that I will be able to go row a bit before all of the activities begin. Rowing is good exercise and I’m gaining skill with each stroke. A few years ago Richard Bode wrote a wonderful little book: “First You Have to Row a Little Boat: Reflections on Life & Living.” I can’t help but think of him as I sit in my little boat with the oars in my hands. “For the truth is that I already know as much about my fate as I need to know. The day will come when I will die. So the only matter of consequence before me is what I will do with my allotted time. I can remain on shore, paralyzed with fear, or I can raise my sails and dip and soar in the breeze.”
He’s got it right. So I choose not to remain on shore. I try to dive deeply into life each day and to feel the rise and fall of the swells and know the cool of the breeze on my face.
On hot days being out on the lake on a cool morning is a blessing. Of course the freedom of a hand-made, person-powered boat is a blessing at any time. It only takes a glance at the paper to be reminded that I’ve got it really lucky. So as I paddle, I’ll be praying for those who have lost their homes in the fires. And if I get around to praying for rain, I’ll pray for rain for Colorado. We need the rain, but we’ll wait if need be.