Fire & Rain

After long periods of drought this year, it is finally raining. It is constant and will continue. My soul is relieved and even relaxed a little more. It is comforting to once again hear soft rain. Being the novice gardener I am (this is my first growing season), I have grown accustomed to watering my garden - a lot. I am curious, and a little worried, to see what so much rain will do.

However, on the other side of the country, conditions are quite the opposite - dry dry dry. I keep trying to but cannot fathom so many people evacuated, so many homes lost, so many trees and earth scorched. A friend in LA writes:

"Environmental issues loom huge in this crisis. So too mental health issues; the L.A. County Fire Dept. suspects that three of the fires were started by arsonists. Sorrow upon sorrow...

Although things are bad in Los Angeles County it is much, much worse in San Diego county: 145,000 acres have burned, 250,000 people have been evacuated and500 homes have been lost.

The forecast is not looking good for the next 24 hours...more hot Santa Ana winds (desert winds) expected.

Our children are being banned from playing outside by LA Unified School District, the air is so toxic."

Poem

Praying

It doesn't have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don't try
to make them elaborate, this isn't
a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.

- Mary Oliver