A cold wind gathers in Canada, starting
to move south across the great plains of America. There is no beginning for a wind;
wind has been since earth first developed an atmosphere billions of years ago.
Wind is how the earth moves solar energy from the equator to the poles. It is
not the beginning but it is a beginning, a continuation of millions of cycles, a
circle with no beginning. This wind is another cycle of earths breathing. Atoms
of nitrogen and oxygen are losing energy, slowly bleeding heat away with the
patience of eternity.
With winter the cold air collects
in Canada, the sun rises later not climbing as high then sets earlier, less
heat from the sun during the day with more loss of heat at night. Every atom
has less energy to push away the other atoms crowding around it; allowing more
to gather then the air becomes heavier and denser. Our early ancestors were
mystified and frighten by magical wind and rain, thinking gods were happy or
angry with them. With our 21st century science we understand the
physics of weather and this knowledge has replaced fear with comfort, magic is
now a natural wonder.
It is downhill from Canada to the
Texas gulf coast. As the cold air mass rolls downhill it gathers warmth from
the land and air, by the time it reaches Houston Texas it has become mild and
pleasant. Fall in Texas is a time to leave windows open allowing cool fresh air
to replace to stale indoor A/C air that has accumulated all summer. By January
the cold fronts can be bitter, known as “Northers” (sic), for now the cold
front is well come relief from the grueling summer heat. The dog days of summer
replaced by a cat curled before a fireplace. When it gets a little colder my
wife will make hot chili in a large pot that is never enough, the hot filling
foods of winter replacing the light cool foods of summer.
I enjoy the slow changing of
seasons, knowing what to expect but never knowing now much or exactly when.
Even with a solid scientific understanding the world maintains its delightful mystery.
1 comment:
Great information about wind. I didn't realize that it had a function. Only joking.
Enjoy reading your lighthearted educational blogs. Keep up the good work.
Shirley
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