Don't do it, Dorothy!

You may be wondering about the title of my post, but after watching the movie Australia this week, the Wizard of Oz theme has been on my mind.  Why oh why Dorothy wanted to head back to Kansas where the wind blew hard enough to pick up her house I will never understand.  She should have clicked those red shoes and headed for the Bahamas or Tahiti.  If I were in the Bahamas instead of St. Johns right now, I would burn my red shoes and never look back. :)

After listening to the wind blow my windows, doors and objects on my porch all day long, I was forced to venture out to pick up Chase and go to the store.  This is what I saw when I stepped out on my porch: It's all of the topsoil blowing off of the fields below our house. 

I have vivid memories of hearing the wind as a child blowing through our living room windows.  It almost sounded like a moan...or maybe that is me actually moaning because I wish that sound would go away. :) I didn't play spring sports growing up because I didn't want to have to practice or play in the wind.  I remember being dropped off at the top of our hill by the bus and stretching out my arms and leaning into the wind and having it actually hold me up.  These are not fond memories.

I was wondering how you can photograph the wind.  You have to have objects in the wind to have a chance.  Luckily we have a plethora of dirt in the air when the wind blows, so it makes the task somewhat simpler. 

 

When I got to Wilburs, I made the big mistake of getting out.  Dirt was swirling in the parking lot and it all ended up in my car.  This normally would not have been too big of a deal, but I had just spent HOURS detailing the inside to get it ready to sell.  The doors were only open for seconds, but it blew dirt onto everything inside. When I got into the store, there was piles of dirt on the floor and there was a tumbleweed in the cart I got.  While I was waiting to pay, I ran my finger across my cheek and felt a nice grainy film.  I knew I shouldn't do it, but I then put my finger in my ear and found a layer of dirt there too.  Of course I had just showered before I left my house. 

This is what I saw as I pulled onto the street above my mom's house: Can you see all of the dirt in the air?? Luckily Spence and I had taken the net down from our trampoline so it was still in our front yard when I got home.

At Circle K to get gas, the computers were crashing due to the wind.  This ended up being a good thing for me since everyone in line left and I was able to move to the front and only had to wait a couple of minutes for them to reboot.  I finally got smart and put on my hood while I got gas (to save my ear canals), but another layer of dirt blew into my car when I was forced to open the door to get in and out. 

Here's the drive back home. 

So to all of you fellow St. Johnsians whose nerves are shot and scalps are dirty, just remember, somewhere over the rainbow there's a land without wind.  Click your heels and see if you can get there.   "If happy little bluebirds fly, Beyond the rainbow, Why, oh why can't I?"

I'm trying to decide which of the following pictures I should use for my Christmas card this year.  You may think I'm joking, but I assure you I am not! Put your votes in now. It will have some corny caption like "Blowing Christmas Wishes Your Way". :) Being born and raised in St. Johns, I can't think of a more appropriate way to usher in the season.