The Great Divide, "Us" v "Them"

A new study proclaims that as much as 20 percent of California’s critical four-year-drought may be blamed on the shifting climate. Common sense seemingly would dictate that as temperatures rise and as rainfall patterns shift across Earth’s face due to climate churn, areas of drought like California and Texas and huge swaths of Africa also will increase in severity, intensity and duration.

What struck me in this report, however, was language; specifically, how we talk about our role in spinning Earth’s climate into whole other parameters never before experienced by a human species.

Park Williams is lead author of the study. An assistant research professor at Columbia University’s Earth Institute, Williams noted,

“We can’t just ask the Earth exactly what’s been human-induced and what’s natural.”

What is “human-induced”, and what is “natural”. Do you see the rub?  Feel ~ as some of us do in our bones ~ the friction of “human” grinding against “natural”?

Here lies our Great Sin. Divorcing ourselves from Nature. Evicting ourselves, as it were, from the Garden.  

~~~~~~~

"Warlords of Ivory"

This week's Quick Pick Flick Warlords of Ivory airs Sunday, August 30 on a National Geographic Channel near you. Consider yourself a turd if you miss this film.

What are you doing to keep Texas Beautiful?

A shadow of his former self

Saturday ~ Sept. 12 ~ Sikes Lake ~ The Falls

It is time once again to clean up lovely little Sikes Lake. All are welcome to meet at 9 a.m. behind MSU's Wellness Center (east side of the lake).

After the clean up, hang out for the FREE LUNCH!!

Shout out to this event's community sponsors:
Rolling Plains Chapter, Texas Master Naturalist
Midwestern State University
American National Bank & Trust
Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

By the way, if you can't be bothered to come out and help us clean up the lake, don't bother to bitch all over the Interweb about how trashy it looks.

Paula, we hardly knew you

 Paula Bruno at the Wichita Falls Creative Writer's Meeting
photo stolen from Nicole Grabner

Paula and I found one another on Facebook over back yard chickens. She had some. I don't. But AnniePie and I had beat around cracking into the egg business. Then I learned she was a writer. Over a silly FB post, we were One! She even has a BLOGGER page, Lookin Out My Backdoor, similar to mine.

That was ..... oh, I don't know. A month or so ago? We swapped posts and comments across the cyber divide from time to time, comfortable in that zone where constant contact is not necessary and to be avoided at all costs.

She invited me to her writer's group. I told her I wasn't big on meetings. She understood what a blessing NOT doing face-time meetings can be at our age.

We "spoke", as it were, just Wednesday; briefly, over her latest blog post. Thursday morning I read she had left us.

Damn, girl!!

You go. Lord knows, I could not be happier for you. Your late husband is 'late' no longer. Never will get that grin off his face, now that his best girl is back.

Of course, we miss you. This hole in our chest is gonna smart awhile, but we'll get over it, just as The Eagles sang.

Journey well, Paula, and thank you for being a 'Friend',

Jim