Rainy Season – July 5, 2015

Posted on by

rain

new event
even in the Alps
summer rains

Over the past few years the climate has changed whether we wish to admit it or not.  One of the consequences is that each year here in the foothills of the Alps, where I live, we now have a summer rainy season, which feels no different from the rainy seasons that I experienced in Africa.

The mornings are sunny … the temperature rises to about 30 C then black clouds form around 2:00 and we have a storm. It usually lasts about half an hour.  Then the clouds move off (sometimes they don’t).  In Chad and Eritrea, where I lived nearly 40 years ago,  this sort of precipitation was called “the small rains” to be distinguished from the winter rains which were of course “the big rains”.

“small rains” fall
on the foothills of the Alps
drought in Africa

© G.s.k. ‘15

Written for:

Carpe Diem #768 tsuyu (rainy season)

16 thoughts on “Rainy Season – July 5, 2015”

    • Thanks Hamish … It’s so sad that people know so very little about what happens and has happened in Africa. Many of the problems they face now are the result of mismanagement … due to projects foisted upon them maybe with good intentions but with no forethought.

      Like

      Reply ↓

  3. Seems cruel that this rain now falls where it is not needed, leaving the original site high and dry. Raindrops on a window pane make for great images.

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • I know … the climate has really been changing for many reasons for some years now. In Africa they’ve been hit the hardest in the Sahel regions as the population grow the usage of water does too and some of our helpful programs for irrigation has exasperated the problem … then there’s been a very very long drought. Here most of our Alpine glaciers have melted away, we don’t hardly get any real snow any more and now we’ve got a rainy season. What can I say. Seems that who has the power to do something about the problem refuse even to take the problem into consideration … it’s sad to hear some people insist that there IS NO CLIMATE change …

      I was trying to photograph rain .. not easy at all .. this seemed like a good trick.

      Like

      Reply ↓

  4. That is very interesting – both the photo and the haibun. Beautifullybwritten and making some fascinating points.

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • The more one exchanges info and ideas the more clearly one can begin to see the whole picture. When we speak of climate change one just thinks about yesterdays rain or snow … or lack of either. But we don’t realize that on this blue marble there’s so much going on, which is only natural. All the hype in magazines and in the news gets lost because there’s often so much irrelevancy and worse emotional junk. Exchanging ideas these past few days has helped me focus … wish our world leaders would do some focusing too 😉

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

      • Very true. Knowing what’s happening to the weather on a local level then learning of changed weather patterns across the globe as observed by ordinary people is giving a truer picture of climate change than all the arguments of experts. The more people speak up the better.

        Like

        Reply ↓

  5. I grew up in the Rockies of norther New Mexico. We had that same thing when I was a kid (40 years ago) and my parents still there say it continues. Mostly sunshine but then a quick afternoon shower.

    Like

    Reply ↓

  6. This is beautifully written and expressed – the words – thoughts, ideas and concerns. – and the image is wonderful.

    Really well done – considering the seriousness of the topic.

    The piece has a sombre but somehow hopeful quality to it – even if it is small – perhaps carried in the raindrops themselves? 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

in shadows light - walking under weeping pines - spring rain

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.