Climate Change 😉
When I taught first grade up in Washington state, we would always do a cute cut and paste project with the saying about March coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb. Or, the other way around, can’t always remember. Those ‘lion’ sized storms up there could be intense and a bit crazy. The high winds and drenching rains would wreak havoc on our mild springtimes with power outages and flooding. All longtime PNW residents will remember the Columbus Day Storm of 1962. Phew! Winds reaching almost 100 mph will imprint a memory for sure! But, as I recall their intensity, they were infrequent. We weren’t yet familiar with the crazy spring weather in Texas.
Shocking!
And, then we moved South! The ‘spring lion storms’ here in Texas are a different animal than what we had experienced during the first 99% of our lives. Thunderstorms here literally can ‘rock your world.’ Huge sky-covering flashes and the creepy sky to ground variety followed by war-zone cracks of thunder. Oh, and this can happen in the middle of the night! When you’re not used to that phenomenon, that’ll get your heart pumping. As with all shocking things though, if you’ve experienced them several times for nine monthsish, they start losing their shock value. Well, until not one, but two houses get struck lightning in your neighborhood (no casualties except for some electronics)!
The video below was taken from my office last Saturday:
Crazy Spring Weather Drama
Some other exciting components can accompany most storms, and I must confess; I kind of like the storm drama (don’t tell). I might have a couple of radar apps, a storm chaser app and might even belong to a group or two on FB.
One crazy component we experience is the drenching downpours of hard blasting rain which often lead to flooding of streets. Which in turn leads to the smart (but, I’m sure necessary) saying, “Turn around, don’t drown.” High winds, which for us equals moving the potted flowers off the patio to safety. And, then there’s the large hail. We’re talking quarter-sized, golf ball, baseball and up pieces of frozen water pelting the earth! And, your car is in danger if it happens to be outside. (We’re very thankful for a three-car garage!) The community does support the effects of the ‘big hail’ with specialized services for hail damage at most auto-body shops. I didn’t even know that was a thing before coming to Central Texas.
The “T” Word
I haven’t mentioned the storm-related word that strikes fear in a PNW transplant’s heart when talking about spring weather in Texas. You know the one: it starts with a T! We have a weather warning siren within eyeshot of our backyard, so we know that if we miss the warnings from the apps, TV, or our iPhones, we’ll be sure to hear that thing. They test once a month and it’s loud…think WWII Airraid Sirens! We’re prepped and our ‘safe place’ is ready. However, long-time Temple residents say they’ve NEVER seen one here. We’re counting on that fact!
Through the Storms
As we get closer to summer, the non-storm days are becoming warmer and more beautiful. The blue sky warmth coupled with a backyard swimming pool overshadows the stormy days…mostly!
He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. Psalms 107:29
Finding a new purpose in living and joy in the day-to-day was the goal when author Kathy Rowland and her entire family (adult kids and grandkids) moved from the PNW to Texas several years ago. The focus of Quiet Hollow is to encourage ‘next chapter women’ – those who are retired, empty-nesters, or have found themselves without a spouse to jump back into life. And, she shares multiple tips, ideas, and possibilities toward that end. Kathy completed her almost 30 years as an elementary teacher and hopped into over a decade of volunteer work, side hustle-type businesses, and grandchild care before discovering her unique and fulfilling purpose for the next chapter of life. What you read on Quiet Hollow is a large part of that calling. Another part is the happy life she’s leading in Central Texas in the same neighborhood as the 3 big kids and her 5 grandkids. She and her college sweetheart husband made sure to add a pool to their new Texas home, so there are lots of noisy, splashy days in their little oasis of a backyard. Come join her on Quiet Hollow in a conversation about finding and living the life you were created to live in this later stage. The chats will be full of laughter, support, faith, and inspiration to create.
Can’t wait. LOL.
You’re going to LOVE IT!! 🙂
Yes, southern storms are something else. Was wondering today with all the news of tornadoes if one had hit near you. Hoping not now, not ever. Stay safe. Hurricanes were our nemesis in Norfolk.
Thanks, Jude! Yes, hoping for not ever ourselves. The closest recent one was an EF-2 in Abilene on Saturday morning. Those hurricanes are a whole ‘nother thing!