Relative Something

Among the range of memories lingering from our night out to see Neil deGrasse Tyson’s talk about a cosmic perspective, these have been prominent: The earth wants to kill us and the universe wants to kill us. As if supporting evidence for these statements were even necessary, Neil provided simple lists.

Earth:

• earthquakes
• volcanoes
• hurricanes
• tornadoes
• droughts
• wildfires
• floods

He introduced this segment with a reference to people who rhapsodize longingly about flowers and trees and all the romance and beauty in Mother Nature’s spectacular displays. Brings to my mind amazing sunrises and sunsets, waterfalls, ocean waves, golden fields, and gorgeous forests.

The contrast provided one of the many chuckles evoked throughout his presentation.

Universe:

• solar flares
• radiation bursts
• black holes
• supernovas
• asteroids
• meteors

Bringing this information forward in my consciousness had me looking at things with a fresh reference on our walks around the property yesterday. It’s impressive to survive long enough that we generally grow callous to most all of these hazardous natural threats. Some of the earth weather risks don’t get buried all that far away in our minds, but I have tended to view them as more neutral threats than as earth’s intended attempts to snuff me out.

The spring scenes we came upon in yesterday morning’s snowscape included the barn towels that were hanging out to dry from the day before.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

When the horses don’t finish eating before we head back to the house, we leave the feed pans out. It makes for some interesting finds upon our return.

Muddy hoof prints are the least offensive version of soiled pans we’ve had to clean out.

After the sun showed through the thinning cloud cover, the snow evaporated except for places that were shadowed. It made for some cool scenes in the woods.

This morning there is no snow left and we haven’t received new precipitation in the last 24 hours. A big sigh of relief for a day or two.

It looks to be another day when the earth won’t kill us. I can’t say for sure what the universe has in store.

.

.