I hear Thunder..

BOOM !! FLASH !! BOOM !!  The mighty power of our atmosphere is at work again. The force it generates is totally awe inspiring.  I am truly in love with thunder storms.

Last night we had a beauty.  I could hear it coming before I saw the flashes of light brightening the surrounding farm land, illuminating the horses are they tore around the paddocks.  Fantastic !

The ferals were a bit on edge.  "Will the house catch on fire with the lightening?"  No, it will be fine.  "Will the house shake with the thunder?"  Maybe.  "Will the power go off ?"  I don't know.  "Will you stay up until we are asleep?"  Yes. Such simple words needed to calm their apprehensive faces.  It will all be ok.

I taught them how to count the seconds between the flash and the boom.  1  2  3  4  5  6  Boom !      1  2  3  4  5  6  7  Boom !  Its getting further away they decided. 1  2  3  4  Boom !!  Ahhh  no its not ! The squeals mixed with fear and excitement were priceless.  I love a great thunderstorm.

Years ago I had a dog, Maddy.  She was one of the character building variety.  A nervy little thing but full of love for us all.  Anyway, when we could hear a thunderstorm approaching we knew what we were in for.  To say she was scared of the booming noise was an understatement.  It was more of a blind panic, a terrifying fear that possessed her little body. Firstly, she would hear it before we did.  She would start to pace the room panting and shaking.  As it got closer this intensified and she would try to bury herself in what ever she could find.  Her eyes would be like huge reflective pools shining the lightening flashes back at us.  It was pure terror. 
 Going to bed was a nightmare.  I would lie with my arm over the side holding her as she panted and shook with fright.  I had been known to return home from work early as I knew being locked in her yard she would go into a state of panic and chew through the industrial strength wire until her mouth was bleeding and her teeth would be ripped out. The fear she felt was immeasurable.  Poor thing. 

My parents dogie sat one night as Hub and I had won a nights accommodation at a swish hotel. ( actually the raffle had been won by our goat called Angry.  I have no idea why her name was written on the ticket but she was nice enough to give it to us anyway..the mind boggles I know ) and ...Yep.. they had a doozy of a thunderstorm.  I remember lying in my nice cosy 4 poster bed thinking .. "Poor mum and dad" ( I also had a little grin on my face as I knew what they were in for !).   Lets just say the next day when we collected the little dear from her adoptive grandparents there was no ..  "Did you have a great night dear?" or "She was so good we will have her anytime".  There was just a deathly stare through sleep deprived eyes that said it all.  We decided a mighty fast retreat was in order and left them to reflect on their night with Maddy.  She has now gone to a place that I hope will never experience a thunderstorm.  I would not like to be her 'angel' friends if there were !

A thunder storm is one of the earths atmospheres greatest achievements. The power to produce this spectacular light show must be enormous.  It is not a certain person of some peoples belief pushing his chairs around.  It is not the torch of the gods being turned on and off.  It is the pure exhilarating power of nature at its finest.

I love to turn off the lights and watch this show unfold around me.  To stand outside and feel the power that makes the hairs on my arms stand tall.  To watch one over the sea as it moves in with purpose, with a sense of foreboding that makes you want to run, but also mesmerises you into absorbing a much as you can.  It fastens me to the ground with a pull of unnatural strength.

They make you feel that yes, we are but just a speck, and dot, an insignificant blemish in natures world.  No matter how hard we as a human race try we can and never will surpass the almighty power of a thunder storm.  Our earth and never ending atmosphere are places we will never truly know and understand.  To be honest I hope we never do. It leaves a mystery, an unknown, for generations to come.

So I will wait for the next Thunderstorm with much anticipation.  Might even sit with that glass of red and the lights turned off as I observe the nature of the beast.  I will think of all those poor dogs giving their owners a stressful evening as the power booms overhead.  I will bow my head to mother nature and raise my glass and feel glad that I am here to see the greatest show on earth.

Photo by Tasnature (My dad)

                     Cheers Dilly xx