Out my window, the greenery is lush. Wild vines snake through the dripping vegetation and colorful flowers rise within pools of standing water. Hummingbirds and dragonflies zip among the trees, noisy songbirds flash through the thickets and squadrons of swifts cut through the sultry air. In the darkness of noon, lightening flashes, thunder rumbles and a curtain of torrential rain moves in from the southwest.
It could be the Amazon but, of course, this is mid Missouri and the water-logged scene is my own backyard. After three days of hot, humid weather and heavy rain, it certainly feels like the tropics. Though slightly cooler this morning (an outflow gift from thunderstorms to our north), the hazy sunshine should give way to more rain by this afternoon and periods of severe weather are forecast over the next 24 hours.
As one who craves dry, cool air, this Amazon scenario is interesting but not very appealing. Fortunately, I will be heading west to higher, drier and cooler terrain later today; like a journey from the Amazon Basin to the Andes foothills, my travels will take me to our Colorado farm, where I hope to dry out, cool off and refresh my soul.
