plumage

Thanks to such a thing as the Mexican plume, we see interesting cloud formations without the violence.

On occasion, I can appreciate a good capping inversion. Particularly since we are in process of getting the swimming pool ready. But at times, I'm ashamed to admit, I do enjoy a nice gully-washer with all the fixins.

Recently, we had what seems to be our first tornado warning of the year. At least I think it was the first. I can't remember, since it's been a while since we had such excitement.

We sheltered the little ones in a closet, whilst us big ones watched the wind whip the trees around. The twister was a small one and missed our town pretty much, we just got the 80mph straight-line gusts.

Not near as bad as the tornado we had, I believe it was last year, which actually hit less than a block from where we lived then. Some trees were uprooted, fences blown down and quite a bit of roof damage occurred all over town. And wouldn't ya know, we slept through that one! Crazy.

Not that I wish for a terrible twister. I don't. They scare me.

Maybe I expect to hear tornado sirens go off at least a handful of times in spring and summer each year. It did in West Texas and all over Oklahoma, not terribly far from here. The difference, we have that Mexican plume in these parts.

One day, I'm sure I'll grow to love it.