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Planning
for weather
is trying proposition
by Delbert Trew
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Each
evening many households, especially rural, carefully watch the weather
news in order to plan the next day's activities and wardrobe. Those
of great faith devise Plan A. Those of lesser faith devise Plan B.
Some of us old-timers have Plan C in the back of our minds.
When the man says "sunny and warm," most throw a coat behind the seat.
If he predicts a "slight norther" coming, we pack peanut butter and
blankets. "Light showers" in the forecast brings out rubber boots,
slickers and an umbrella. "Flash Flood Warnings" bring out the fencing
tools, barbed wire and fence posts to replace the water gaps in pasture
fences.
If the man says we are on the "edge," prepare for the center. If he
says "maybe," make preparations for certainty. Pink colors mean a
warning. The color green means a possibility. If the maps shows red
with yellow outlines, look out. Different hues of blue means it has
already happened. Black means you have been zapped, and the electricity
is off. None of these colors mean a thing when viewed on an old TV
set or a wind-ravaged antenna.
Next appear the temperature highs and lows, dew points, humidity and
records. By the time you get your trifocal glasses zeroed in on the
county where you live, you missed the highs and see the lows. While
trying to decipher the mumbo jumbo, the record appears for 1916, or
was that yesterday? Pay attention now, tomorrow is the big day. Just
as you finally get focused, the clouds come.
Zoom, zoom, the clouds fly out. Tilting, reversing, repeating and
inverting around and around, until you feel a bit dizzy. Concentrate,
this is serious business. The big plans for tomorrow may have to be
postponed if the weather is not right. Finally, the big moment is
here. Tomorrow's forecast is imminent. Ready, set, aw heck, commercial
time again?
After years of trying to interpret some weather reports, the challenge
of making a living in agriculture doesn't seem so difficult. However,
there is one shining example that never varies. You can bet your bottom
dollar it will happen. When the weather man says the wind will blow,
it will certainly blow.
© Delbert Trew
"It's
All Trew" -
January 1, 2005 column |
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