by Steve Sakiyama –
We live on a corner lot, and it’s the best place to be in suburbia. Sure our yard has more grass to cut, but it’s so open and neighbourly. By the way, why is it called a “yard” when it is far bigger than that?
Speaking of grass, corner lots need a good lawn mower. Years ago, I had a plug-in electric mower with an impressively long extension cord. The cord had to be flipped around like a cowboy trick roper spinning a lariat to avoid a tangled mess. Yelling “yahoo” seemed appropriate. This was all great fun but it left me exhausted, so our next mower was a gas-powered monstrosity picked up from a garbage (oops, I mean, garage) sale for $10. One day while giving it a hefty pull with both arms, the frayed cord snapped – with arms flailing wildly I tripped backwards with dainty ballerina-like steps, followed by a pirouette and glissade into the rose bushes. Bravo. Magnifique. Incroyable.
This impromptu impression of Swan Lake led to another well-used mower for $20 (I splurged). It cut grass well, but had wobbly wheels which made pushing and steering at the same time perplexingly difficult. Instead of perfectly parallel cut rows, the lawn ended up looking like a terrible attempt at a Jackson Pollock painting.
Lawn mower woes aside, a corner lot is a wonderful place to get to know everybody. It’s the neighbourhood meeting place for people and dogs. Speaking of dogs, a long time ago when dog owners weren’t as responsible for cleaning up as they are today, our corner was a popular pooch privy. Eventually, I put up a large sign: “Dogs, please pick up after your owners.” This worked, which surprised me considering dogs can’t read.
Speaking of spacious areas, the atmosphere looks big and expansive because, in comparison, we are pretty small. However, when viewed from space Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield observed: “In proportion, our atmosphere is no thicker than the varnish on a globe. Deceptively fragile.” So why doesn’t this thin layer of seemingly weightless air fly off into space? The atmosphere is comprised of molecules of different gases mixed together – mostly nitrogen (78% by volume) and oxygen (21%). These molecules are made up of atoms that have mass. Anything with mass is pulled down to the surface due to gravity (and at my age, its affects on my body are obvious). The result is a thin, fragile layer of air next to the Earth’s surface that sustains all life: delicately balanced and beautifully complex.
What kind of weather is just around the corner in September? Well, let’s cut to the chase: the models point to a warmer and drier than normal month.
September is like the corner lot of life. It’s a time of transition into a new lane. The weather turns cooler and we move from summer vacations into other good things like work and school. Even though at times we may feel wobbly and get off track, enjoy the process and yell “yahoo” while rounding the corner. Take a long gaze into the expansive sky and consider how small we are, and how fragile the ballet of life is. We dance on the stage of a wondrous natural setting. Bravo. Magnifique. Incroyable.
~ Weatherwit
