Dust Storms Seen from Space

"Dust thou art, to dust returnest"

The debate over global warming has been causing quite a dustup.

Suppose the dust storms will lead to this new book:

"The Grapes of Wrath -- a Sequel."

The most that some of us have had to fret about along these lines have been dust bunnies.

Mr. Digres, old "Butt-Eye," was a fit, educated, well turned out, likable man who guided all of our outside-school field trips.
Well known for self interruption, he began many fascinating sounding sentences while finishing almost none or worse: finishing them later and out of order.
Many near and dear to him had died accidental deaths and he was sure he would too. He didn't.
He died instead of lung disease arising out of the inhalation of millions of fabric fibers freed in the hand-cranked mechanical process of breaking down rags and such used in the private production of high quality papers prized by artists and calligraphers.
I sometimes wonder whether I might not now be paying a price for hours spent helping out in his dusty garage shop.
Here's something that might be a part of the problem:

http://www.petermanseye.com/photos/610061
 

pneumoniconicos.

Another Winner ....... Hot  Damn !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How about we study the Geometric Formations of Bellybutton Lint ???

Just think of it as dry snowflakes

"Some unkind people say I have my dust bought in from Harrods" - Quientin Crisp

Or maybe Queintin Crisp

What a swell group to wake up to!! Good morning Lotlot, Stoney, Hazel and !!Ivan !! How nice to see you all. I have to concur with Ivan regarding the topic but it is new so I am happy. Seems like old times.....

Hazel I loved Quentin Crisp! He used to stop by my shop for an ice cream from time to time.

Happy Day everyone..

Charlie Brown has to spring for another 5 cents to pay his shrink Lucy to discuss his anxiety of having a friend like Pig-Pen. Alas there was a reason that most folks in times past avoided living in deserts, too near the beach, too close to volcanoes, and the Arctic regions. But sometimes you just have to button up your J Peterman duster and take a big swig of water before lifting up your bandana and ride like hell. One of the best sandstorm scenes is Hidalgo linked for your enjoyment-  http://youtu.be/iZ0a2nAoIJY

CHEFD................it is good & yes it does, yes it does........................

Wow! Even watching that on this small handheld device was a thrill! I think those storms are called Habib? Are they similar to water spouts and windshear occurances? Will they take all the rust off an old pick-em-up truck? I think about our Boys in Theater,wearing many pounds of gear,and even with all our high tech telemitry,they may get a few minutes warning,but have little shelter. How do animals survive that in the desert?......and my old joke of what you eat in the desert; "the sand which is there..."

This topic makes me thirsty. Years ago, while pregnant with my son, I loved
drinking water. As I recall, it tasted better than champagne to me, and I was
amazed such an intoxicating beverage was not championed by all. I still enjoy
it, though not to the estrogen-enhanced extent of yesteryear. Perhaps civilization
should take another swallow, though I'm no longer sure of our ability to behave
in a civilized manner. Speaking of civilized manners - Chef Deb - Quentin Crisp -
an Englishman in New York! How exciting, but then your life hints at many such golden moments, not a bit unusual for this illustrious group!

I believe that at least on two occasions Rommel was saved by sandstorms in Northern Africa. Though eventually defeated I believe as much by lack of supplies as anything, students of military strategy have to agree that weather, like in sporting events, is such a contributing factor in deciding winners and losers. I think also of the defeat of the Spanish Armada. Our history and our future as much as we would like to think otherwise is fortuitous at best. Prayer will remain as necessary as planning.  

RY. BEBE. TOMMY, TAWNY...it reallly is a great day here....

Tawny I was lucky enough to live in NYC which gave me access to many interesting adventures. My daughter says I "Forrest Gumped my way through life," which is a little bit true.

TT - Hidalgo...yes! Great eye candy for the girls! (The man, as well as the horse!) Also a h**l of a sandstorm! Talk about your perseverance !! Thanks for the link.

No dust here in N. GA, as we had rain--again-- during the night....with all accompanying thunder and light! My sidewalk and decks have green algae growing due to constant moisture for the past month or so. But not to complain...We had weeks of drought before that....

As we are headed West soon, we expect a few dust devils, as we have traveled out west before and seen them scoot across the prairie and desert like dervishes. Don't want to experience a huge, choking one, as shown here by Mr. P, or whoever is selecting topics now.

Tawny P -- Your remarks about water are timely, as that is supposed to be the next big shortage on earth....Here where I live we have our own water treatment system in the development from a 500 acre lake fed by 7 springs. The water is clear and tasty, and from the purity tests, pretty much as good as it gets. I too, love water and have several glasses of it all day, carrying my water around all over the house to the current chore spot.

There are many artists who have recorded the Sons of the Pioneers' (1930's) song about water, but here is one country singer who says the words clearly......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ew3YCU9Jrg

MOOSELOOP:
Are you leaving before you post those promised flower photos?
I'm waiting to see them.

ChefDeb~ I hadn't heard the "Forrest Gumped my way through life" but I know what it is...did it myself and its a blessing everyday to realize I escaped the F G Detectives!

The hardest part was making it ook easy.

GEORGE -- isn't that a good expression? I was amazed when my daughter said it, its an accurate description. A little dumb luck with a spirit of adventure and a lack of common sense (at t imes) can make a wonderful life.

Started reading Bellow's "Henderson the Rain King" the clouds have burst forth with copious amounts of H2O. Temps in the 70s. Could be a connection, could be.

Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get to quote Forrest Gump. As far a dust storms and catastrophic weather, Tommy is right, prayer is part of the planning.

Yes indeed Magic. On the way home from my afternoon walk, I picked up 4 different types of mushrooms to mix with some red wine past its prime, some butter, garlic, and a little Worchestershire blended in a skillet to pour over grilled steak medallions. This will go with my watermelon and pineapple fruitbowl and fresh asparagus. I am so hungry I could eat a bear. Yep. Just showed up here on this planet one day without a clue and considering all the many things that have turned out purty darn good for me, I am a blessed man. Tornadoes and floods and droughts and the like are the times we find out what we are made of. I don't wish it on anyone but I have seen some ordinary people do some extraordinary things & that makes me think they were never that ordinary in the first place. Makes me right proud to be a human. Wouldn't want to be a god. I just want to be a pretty nice guy with oodles of gratitude and more than happy to let God take care of the Universe's business. I figure at this stage that every day is a bonus.

p- Your reading list keeps me on my toes. Your are like Flaubert who read in order to live. I am intrigued that what you read becomes your current reality and I have long held to that library of thought,

oh Paolos--Henderson the Rain King! What a treat.

TT- can't respond to your wonderful culinary description right now cuz North By Northwest is on TCM.

It would be sacrilegious to do so. Damn Mr. Grant knew how to wear a suit. I love Hitchcock most of all. Last night for me it was The Man Who Knew too Much and Topaz. Enjoy!!! I am watching NbyNW for the umpteenth time as I grill.

I'm watching N by NW too, CD.  Soon he's going to run run run and get chased by a train, I bet....

A plane, not a train.

RY:  It's a haboob, I think, not a habib.  A habib is the thing you put over your head to keep from choking from the dust.

Kidding about the habib - I don't know what a habib is.  But the storm is haboob.  No comment.

THE PLANE! THE PLANE!

ChefDeb ~ do NOT tell me that Eugene Henderson once frequented your shop and took a sackful of cupcakes with him. I read the novel many years ago and had not read much Hemingway before that first time. I'd have to ask Saul directly but I'm pretty sure he had Ernest in his crosshairs with this one. It is a treat.

Tommy ~ I think I have read every "________________for dummies" book ever written. If "you are what you read" I certainly qualify.

that was close...

why PARK44? Lose your I.D. again?....anyway, Haboob,Habib, whatever...but you must always take a drink when watching, and some one says "Hi Bob"

p- "The large print giveth and the small print taketh away." --Tom Waits

All- I had to hit record on NbyNW to watch Chris Isaak on NPT. Rockabilly sends me. Wicked Game is a very cool song and his voice is freaking haunting.

Tommy ~ You should not have mentioned Chris Isaak...my favorite music video of all time. ALL time.
                                                                          
                                     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHSYXt1iEpE  ;                                                                                   Wicked Game is a close second.

It was hard to tell which was more interesting: the comments of the artsy types about the small town genius of Karl the photographer or the fact that we had been there when he had to be dragged out of the beer tent to get the silhouette of a girl in an empty corn crib with all of the open slots filled in with webs and dust from the bean harvest on all sides.
The spaces looked like translucent mortar.
If we hadn't have been encouraging her to do interesting poses on an overturned bucket and had just seen the pictures, we might have thought she was really something.
She wasn't, at least not then.

http://www.petermanseye.com/photos/610211

Korthal- Flowers? Perhaps I have been confused with someone who grows flowers that bloom at night....I saw some of those on someone's page...Not me...my only bloom to brag on is a double red hibiscus in a pot on the deck out of deer reach.

Dust storms....what next? Plagues of locusts? Frogs? Rivers that run red? Mr.P, please give us a topic other than destruction.

I have this picture on my cell phone of a field last summer after a dirt storm. I tried to download it from my computer into my photos here but couldn't manage to get that done. I hope you can see it from this url...
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/264213_10150294927405804_665221_n.jpg
It's been so dry here in the heartland for two years now...this sort of thing is common. Every day we see "dirt devils" (F1 tornados) blow around the farm ground. Last week, the dirt was blowing so badly across the highway that it caused a seven car pile up...no major injuries but most were hospitilized. If you do happen to be caught out in the dirt storm, it feels like microderm abrasion. only worse.
Korthal, I promised you the flower pictures and I did get one downloaded to my photos on Peterman's Eye...I will try to post some more when they open to their fullest.
Paolos, TT, Chris Isaak is the perfect voice for hot summer evenings by the pool...no dust storm there...