Sunday, February 01, 2009

Where's The Rain?


I am human.

I have always loved sunny days... the light that gives life and that makes me feel alive inside out.

Yet, too much sun and no rain makes for a very dry season. We have not had rain for the past two weeks and in fact having a record high temperature that has made the beautiful turfed grasses turned dry and brown, flowering bushes wilting and tall shady trees shedding leaves.

It has been one of our driest season yet. And with it came sporadic wildfires island-wide too.

I chanced upon such wildfires last Friday when youngest brother was sending me home in his car.


It was close to home, at the grassland along Tampines Avenue 10... where I love to cycle to be close to nature. Fortunately, the fire did not spread over to the dirt-bike track, stopped by the fast response by the SCDF fire-fighters.

This stretch of grassland has been known to get wildfires on many previous dry seasons before. A sanctuary for birds, but become a potential fire hazard once dry season comes.

All these years that I have been living in Tampines, through many instances of such, this is the only time I got to witness the smoldering fire and the fire-fighters in action.


It was quite cool to watch the whole thing, but I kept thinking of the poor birds and the nests in the grassland... the eggs and chicks engulfed in the fire.

I told Wifey about the fire that was just 2 blocks away from our flat when I got back home.

"No wonder it was badly hazy," Wifey replied, almost like a revelation, "I had to close the windows because it was uncomfortable to breathe."

Wifey mistook the smoke from the wildfire for the smoke that will come when the Chinese folks burn long stalks of sugarcane and paper hell money as offerings to their ancestors. A ritual to send these souls back to heaven after the festivities of Chinese New Year come to a close... or something to that effect if I have my facts right.


Being a tolerant Muslim neighbor and those not of this faith, we will normally close all the windows during such days to avoid the flying soot and choking smoke coming into our homes and dirty our curtains and sofas. Taken positively, the smoke deters mosquitoes.

Anyway, there are not many a times that I have uttered this, but where is the rain already?!

8 comments:

  1. We're dry too. I have to tell you, I'm learning so much from you. Please don't take offense, but since 9/11/01 here, I had assumed that all Muslims were our enemies. You have shown me differently.

    I call that "blogger power". The ability of one person to make a difference.

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  2. Muhd, if only I could send you bundles of snow, that would help your situation. We have record snow, already surpassed last year's entire winter, I believe, and still 2-3 mos of "winter" to go! Air very dry which helps my breathing, but I will hold you in my prayers and highest and best thoughts and do a little "rain dance" (hey! it's worked before!) for you. But be careful what you ask for ;oD
    SisSTAR
    p.s. I am happy your father is doing well, was very glad to read your post. And I briefly read all the fun stuff you did for your son's school or such. How do you get all those awesome pictures posted of your projects? You must be extremely! intelligent and talented in computers! (and games!)
    May you have lots of good time to be in nature ahead soon, but you did good to help bring enjoyment to others.

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  3. I wish I could send you some precipitation from where I am. I don't know if you would want the cold snow though. But it would surely melt and put out all the fires! I pray things settle down real soon for you my friend and that everyone is safe.

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  4. Praying for you some rain friend. And I hate mosquitos! What are they good for anyways? LOL

    SOrry about the firs....we have had almost the opposite....ice storms

    Have a great week

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  5. I feel for you if you are used to rain. Being here in Arizona, we go months and months of over 100 degree's F with no rain. Talk about dry. hehehehee

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  6. I absolutely LOVE to be close to nature as well. I'm most peaceful there. When my dh lost his job in Ohio, we had to move out of the country and I was extremely sad about that. But I take each season as it comes and, sadly, that one is over.

    Yes, it would be interesting to watch the firefighters in action (my friend is a firefighter in Cleveland, Ohio). Yet, as you pointed out, how sad for the creatures who depend on the trees and grasses for their home.

    Also, very interesting about the Chinese ritual. While that does not line up with my own beliefs, I too am tolerant of (and interestd in) those whose beliefs are different from my own. I had not heard of this particular ritual. Thanks for sharing.
    Blessings,
    ~Toni~

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  7. Oh btw, when I say "move out of the country", I only meant open spaces outside city limits, not outside the USA, lol.
    Blessings,
    ~Toni~

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  8. Oh Imran our son 33 thought he was having a heart attack and George and myself our chests hurt, well interesting there was in our state Washington a stagnent air quality ...Ugh.. Our son and family that live in Anchorage Alaska are waiting for that Volcano to blow how to you keep a mask on a 1 year old baby from sh fallout...

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Regards,
Muhd Imran
PAL Blogger