Just ten days back, the sky was cloudy that by itself should not be a matter of concern to anyone. However in northern California, in summer, we are more accustomed to see clear blue skies during summer than cloudy skies, so much so, that to take a photo with the sky as a background one needs to have a good circular polarizer filter to get some contrast. So when the sky is cloudy, it is much easier to take photos with the sky as a background and normally we are rewarded with beautiful sunsets. So on August 13, Thursday, I was up on One Tree Hill near our house to capture a good sunset photograph. But even I was not prepared to see what nature presented. It was awesome.
Sunset from my backyard on the afternoon of August 13, 2020. Someone said that it looked like Martian sky. Maybe it was just the prelude to what nature had in store for us.
On Sunday, August 16, early morning, California was struck by an unusual dry lightning and thunder storm. Within a very short period of time several hundred intense lightning strikes were reported. As per report, during the next seventy two hours, the state was struck by more than ten thousand lightning strikes, though the majority of intense strikes were on early Sunday morning. As expected, fire started to light up around the state with majority of them concentrated in norther California. Rapidly burning fires forced evacuation as well as destruction of properties and natural wonders. The Big Basin Redwood Forest State Park, about forty five minutes drive from our house was burnt. The visitor center was completely burnt down to the ground. The fate of the old redwood trees, some older than two thousand years and two feet plus tall are not known yet.
Not sure if any of these behemoths are still standing after the fire. These photos were taken on August 1, 2015.
The fires are still burning without much of it being contained. For last four to five days now, the sky is covered by smoke from all the fires burning. University of California, Santa Cruz was evacuated. Thousands of firefighters are fighting valiantly to contain the fires. We pray for their success because in their success lies our safety. Please send your prayers for their safety. Already six people lost their lives. As I am writing this, lots of properties were damaged and many had to leave their homes to safety and others are packed and waiting for the dreaded evacuation orders.
As the state burns and the sky is covered with smoke, nature has presented her colors with beautiful sunsets and sunrises. It’s of little solace to all who are affected by the fury of the fire. We were staying at home due to COVID and now hoping that everyone can stay at their homes and not get displaced due to the fires. Though at first the smokes from the fires produced beautiful sunsets and sunrise, now it is only gray sky hiding the sun.
Sunset on August 17, 2020 from One Tree Hill
Sunrise on August 18, 2020 from my front yardMidday sun on August 19, 2020 from my front yard. Sky covered in smoke.
Do you love me?
And I say yes, What do I mean? What is love?
Is love the longing I feel
When you are away from me
Or is it the anxiety I feel
When I do not hear from you
Is it the ache in my heart
To see you unhappy
And not speaking to me
Is it the racing heartbeat
Waiting for you to emerge
From the arrival gate, or
The anxious anticipation of
Meeting you on my return home
Is it what I felt years back
When we first met
Unsure but willing to commit
Is it the fire that used to
Run through me at your sight
But then what about now
When all I want is
A few quiet moment
Just you and me
Alone
Side by side, at peace
I am not sure what it is
All of the above
And a lot more perhaps
I still have butterflies
Just thinking about you
And though I would like
Nothing better than
To hold you in my arms
And just relax
I love more to see you soar free
And reach for the sky, and
Achieve what you want
I will be waiting
With open arms
Always for you
Cause I know
One place
You will always be
In my heart
If that is love
So be it
Never shall I ask Do you love me Have my answer already
This completes my poem a day for the month of April 2019 written with the theme of “Love”.
This poem started as a tongue in cheek comment to a post Turning by Ritu Bhathal(butismileanyway) yesterday. She was kind enough to respond back with two smiling emojis (two of them, not one, just think of it), so I thought why not post the comment as a poem in my blog. I decided to sleep on it and before I knew Thursday turned to Friday. Before we go to the weekend, here it is.
A mountain far away,
Distant fire on a
Cold winter’s night,
Pursue at your own peril,
They recede as you approach,
So heed the wise,
Turn.
Why leave the comfort
Of a warm bed?
Nike is not going to pay you
To just do it😊
Nothing changed here from yesterday
As he gazed forlornly at the setting sun
Carpet of grass like velvet
Foliage turning crimson red
Catching the color of sunset
It was here that they had their first kiss
The fiery sunset paled
By the fire burning in their hearts
Her lips flaming red
Was it the passion
Or captured color of sunset
Rushing libido unleashed
He returned her every kiss
Little did he realize
Seduction was in her heart
Like the leaves of fall
One moment grandiose
Coloring the forest fiery red
And gone, blown away, dead
Passion subdued, her lips pale
Heart filled with apprehension he inquired
What’s wrong, anything he had done
Nothing my love, nothing is wrong
Sun has set, it’s time to go home
In a flash like the last rays of setting sun
With a swing of her hips, she was gone
With no promise to return
The kiss was for him to keep
Sunset of love
The hurt was deep indeed
There I was having a quiet breakfast of English muffin, egg white omelet and coffee all alone and scanning my reader. Two things happened simultaneously. I bit a really hot green chilli and tumbled upon this post, Limerick Challenge Week 30: Antonyms sponsored by Rashmi. My tongue was on fire and coffee was not the coolant that could have doused this fire. Just to divert my mind from a burning tongue, I decided to write a limerick. My thought was to kill two birds with one stone, post a limerick and also respond to Saturday Six Minute Challenge sponsored by Kristi. Alas! my tortured tongue won’t afford me the luxury of sitting down to write a limerick following rules. What I ended up was a five line comments to Rashmi that offended my son. His objection was to the use of the last word in the poem that he thought was un-parliamentarian in an open forum. I always thought our elected leaders utter much worse words than this during their normal conduct of business. Also,I think, being PC is not always fun. So my dear readers, I will let you judge for yourself what do you think. The comment that I posted is reproduced below with an alphabet blipped out. You can use your own imagination.
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I laugh and I cry
So tasty but distastefully spiced these fries
Heavenly smooth but hellishly hot
Enjoying now but remembering the past
Memories of pleasant evenings turning to horrendous morning fa( )ts.
Fleeting Muse 