The Nature Series
Welcome to "The Nature Series." This series of stories is special to me because it reflects my particular love for nature. These fictional narratives are unique, as they feature each of my grandchildren as they learn about nature and its processes. Take a journey with them and explore "The Nature Series." Please enjoy.
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UPDATE (Oct 2020): "The Virus" has been added to this page. This stand-alone writing combines real world events with nature as a theme to produce a work I hope you will enjoy.
Table of Contents
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Ashley and the Little Cloud that Cried
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The Nature of Things and the Balance of Its Forces
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About Nature of Things
Nature is the gift to all living creatures and this epilogue merely depicts the conditions that have to be met to maintain a harmonious relationship between Natural essentials and all living creatures inhabiting the earth. It would be wise to monitor the balance of the Natural World and respect its cycles of phenomena for without the ongoing critical events of Nature, life on a cold and delicate world would not exist. So as is specified in an old proverbial expression…
“Take care of Mother Nature and she will always be there for you.”
The Nature of Things
Once upon a time there was a tree, who thought he was the mightiest in all the land. He roared in a gruff voice and said,
“I am the mighty Oak and there is no one, not you Mr. Grass, nor you Mr. Wind and especially not you Mr. Rain, that is greater than I!”
The mighty Oak was so overpowering with his bully idea that, Mr. Wind, Mr. Rain and Mr. Grass, certainly did not believe him, but merely said,
“Oh, you will see Mr. Oak, you will see.”
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One bright summer day a little boy and his three cousins were playing near the great Oak, totally enjoying the tall grass in the meadow. How they ran, skipped and hopped. They threw sticks into the woods and tumbled gleefully on the thick green grass. The little boy’s name was David, his three cousins' names were Ashley, Kimmy, and Abby. They enjoyed being together and played happily throughout the day. The mighty Oak stood tall and proud as the children stared at him in awe,
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“So big!” They cried.
“Mr. Oak,” asked David and Ashley. “You are so big and tall, are you the king of the forest?”
The mighty Oak, swayed and with a twitch of a limb, dropped acorns in the midst of the startled children.
“Yes!” He said, in a thundering voice. “I am the mightiest of them all!”
Kimmy and Abby moved back in surprise and were noticeably afraid. David and Ashley, older of the four, held their ground but Abby and Kimmy backed still farther, from the blustering voice of Mr. Oak.
Now, by this time, Mr. Grass had taken all he was going to take.
“Children,” he said, “don’t be afraid of him. Mr. Oak is just a bully and it’s time we taught him a lesson.”
“What are you going to do?” Asked the children. “He is so big and tall, what could you possibly do to teach him anything?” Asked David.
Mr. Grass smiled and calmly said,
“First I want all four of you to meet two very dear friends. They are Mr. Rain and Mr. Wind.”
“Hi Mr. Rain,” waved a smiling Ashley and David. Kimmy and Abby joined in with a wave of their little hand and quietly said, “Hi.”
“Hi, children.” Said Mr. Rain. “Do any of you know what I do?”
The children thought momentarily and cried out.
“Yes! You make things wet and sometimes we can’t play outdoors because it’s raining,” said David.
“And when you have lightning with
you, we can’t stand under a tree,
because we could get hurt,” said
Ashley.
Kimmy smiled and whispered,
“We can walk in puddles when it
rains, too.” Abby nodded in a
gesture of agreement and grinned
while clapping her hands.
Mr. Rain, feeling quite amused at the response, agreed to the extremes of his rain and introduced his friend, Mr. Wind.
“Hi, Mr. Wind!” Shouted the children.
“Hi children, do any of you know what I do?” Asked Mr. Wind.
“Yes!” Said the children. “You make sail boats sail,” said Ashley.
“And you make tornadoes that can be dangerous if we don’t get into our basement.” Said David.
Kimmy and Abby nodded with concern and said, “Yeah…and you make our hair tangle after mom combs it.”
“Well, you are all right,” said Mr. Wind. “Now children, do you know what Mr. Oak does?”
“Yes!” Shouted the children. “The tree is for birds to build their nest in,” said David.
“And we can build tree swings form big branches,” said Ashley.
“And we can climb them, too.” Added Kimmy. Abby picked up a small twig and tossed it into the thick brush and smiled.
“It’s fun to throw twigs into the forest.”
Mr. Oak waved and swung his mighty branches to and fro and roared.
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“I can look very spooky at night, too!” Bellowed Mr. Oak.
“Oh, yeah!” Cried the children and imagined a frightening silhouette of the great Oak in the darkness.
“What else can you do, Mr. Oak?” Sighed Mr. Rain with obvious disappointment. “Besides scare the children.”
“I know that without any of you, I can take care of the forest all by myself. Because I am the king of the forest,” roared Mr. Oak. “And I don’t need help from anyone!”
“Okay, Mr. Oak, if you think you’re so mighty, we’ll see how you do all by yourself. I’ll simply stop raining,” said Mr. Rain.
“And I’ll stop growing,” said Mr. Grass.
“And I’ll stop blowing,” said Mr. Wind.
And so they did, and the children saw
what would happen when Mr. Grass
stopped growing, Mr. Rain stopped
raining, and Mr. Wind stopped blowing.
As if by magic, they saw the grass in the
meadow dry up and the soil become hard.
The leaves from all of the trees fell and their branches became dry and bare. The birds had no place to build their nest or to bear their young.
Without rain, there was no water in the lakes and rivers so the animals had nothing to dink. And the children saw the once mighty Oak become a dry and bare entity; his branches became brittle and fell to the ground. The wind did not blow to help with the movement of the clouds or to spread the seed for the flowers and plants. And more important to Mr. Oak, the wind was not there to wake him up in the spring.
But then, like Mr. Oak said, he didn’t need anyone. The children stared in amazement as they witnessed the importance of Mr. Rain, Mr. Grass, Mr. Wind, and of course Mr. Oak. The forest was dry and desolate, the grass was gone and the wind was quiet and still. A tree that resembled Mr. Oak lay, lifeless, on the hard, dry ground.
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“Please, Mr. Rain!” Cried Mr. Oak.
“Don’t stop raining. I’m sorry for
what I said. I do need you for my
great limbs and beautiful leaves.
I want the birds to come back to
my branches, I want to see them
build their nests and raise their
young. I need Mr. Grass and Mr.
Wind too. I know how important
you all are. And I know that without any of you, I can’t have my great branches and leaves. I can’t exist without you, all of you.”
“Well Mr. Oak, I hope you learned your lesson,” cautioned Mr. Rain. “We have to work together because every single form of life including the people of this world rely on us, all of us.”
“Gee, Mr. Rain,” said Ashley. “You are very important to Mr. Oak and to Mr. Grass.”
“And you are also important to all the rivers, the lakes, and to all the animals,” said David.
Abby picked up a ladybug and placed it on her hand and Kimmy joined her in reciting. “Ladybug…Ladybug… fly away.”
“And to bugs, too,” smiled Ashley.
“How about Mr. Wind?” Asked David. “Is Mr. Rain important to Mr. Wind?”
“I should think so,” replied Ashley, “without Mr. Rain the others can’t do what they’re supposed to do.”
Mr. Grass paused for a moment.
“You’re right, Ashley – and yes David, Mr. Rain is very important to Mr. Wind. Right, Mr. Wind?”
Mr. Wind made himself known by the slight swaying of Mr. Grass. “Yes he is, Mr. Grass.”
“Yes, children,” continued Mr. Wind, “very important. As a matter of fact, just as important as your mother and father working together for your welfare. You see their efforts to guide you and prepare you for life, are essentially what Nature, including Mr. Rain, do for all of us. And yes, we need him, otherwise, as Ashley said, we could not continue to do our job for the survival of life on earth, including man.
“You see, kids,” Mr. Wind continued, “he allows the grass and many kinds of vegetation to grow and when they become seeds, I help in blowing the seeds to all parts of the world. Some seeds even look like little parachutes that are carried long distances in the wind. And then plants and flowers grow everywhere.”
“Vegetables are grown so that people as well as animals will have the necessary food, to grow up healthy and strong. The rivers and lakes provide water, not only for the fish and animals that live there, but for people, too. The trees and thick bushes grow so that all animal life will have natural habitats or homes that provide food like acorns, nuts, insects and a variety of edible plants. Some animals even eat the bark and the leaves from the trees.”
“The trees also provide the lumber for the needed wood that is used to build houses and furniture, just like your homes and your furniture. Remember children,” continued Mr. Wind, “We are part of Nature and working together, we provide for all life on earth.
Every form of life has a function in Nature; they all have a job to do, even Kimmy and Abby’s little ladybug. So children, you and all the people of the Earth must work hard to insure that Nature, including Mr. Grass, Mr. Rain, and yes, Mr. Oak will always be here, working together, for the good of all. And think about what very wise Native Americans have always said.
‘We live in the midst of nature; maintaining a balance of its forces, insures the existence of all life.’ Yes, Ashley, David, Kimmy and Abby, so that you can run and play in the tall grass of a meadow; watch the rain fall gently in the field; then watch the tall Oak bow and sway in the blowing wind…”
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“Come on in,” called Grandpa, “it’s starting to rain!”
He noticed how attentive they were to the great oak in the woods and smiled. “Hmmm,” he whispered, “maybe I’ll just have to round them up after supper and tell them a little story about nature.”
Ashley, David, Kimmy and Abby walked slowly towards the house. Their hair blew lightly in the wind and sprinkles of rain ran down their little noses. The children smiled as they walked in the tall grass and waved cheerfully at the big Oak tree in the distance…
That night, high in the treetops and through the dense forest, Mr. Wind pleasantly whispered.
“Remember children,” he said, “when you hear a light rain at your window along with the pleasant sound of the wind. You can sleep well because you will know that we are there, working for you, together in Nature.”
“For my grandchildren – Ashley, David, Kim and Abby.”
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Written by Grandpa – Conde (Abe C Abeyta) 1996
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Content editing:
Vivian V Abeyta and Mrs. D Anderson
Ashley and the Little Cloud that Cried
It was summer vacation for Ashley. She thought about her year in the second grade that she so thoroughly enjoyed. Of course the third grade, she thought, would be just as enjoyable. Anyway, her summer schedule would keep her very busy. She was continuing her gymnastics through the summer and looked forward to the competition. Being a very good student, Ashley’s curiosity grew and demanded answers to her many questions. Some questions were aimed at nature, in the green grass, the growth in the vegetable garden that would soon produce vegetables, the bright sunshine and even the changes in the weather that she so often wondered about.
One day while playing in the backyard, she noticed a little white cloud. The cloud had not been there a few minutes before and she wondered how it could have developed so quickly.
“What makes the clouds?” She wondered. “What are they made of?” She questioned, “and how are they formed?”
She saw other clouds developing in the hot humid air and then blossom beautifully high in the sky. She whispered softly
as she stopped swinging.
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“Little cloud,” she asked.
“Would you tell me how
you are formed?”
She watched the little
cloud hover in its beautiful
soft white attire and was
pleasantly surprised when
the little cloud came closer
and replied.
“Of course I will, Ashley.” The little cloud hovered and came closer to Ashley as it spoke.
Ashley’s eyes sparkled as she smiled and said,
“Thank you little cloud. It would make me very happy to understand.”
The little cloud hovered closer and spoke softly.
“I wish there were more people interested in nature, as you are, Ashley. Nature, Ashley, is the foundation of life. The balance of its forces is necessary and very important, not only for human existence, but also from all life on earth. Without this natural phenomenon or event that provides our fresh water, life as we know it, would cease to exist. The formation of clouds, the falling rain, the changes in the weather, are all natural occurrences that are part of nature’s cycles that promote and sustain life.”
Ashley’s eyes widened as she listened and quietly spoke to the little cloud that hovered close by.
“These natural occurrences are what I would really like to understand, you know like weather.”
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“Yes, Ashley I know. We’ll start with the formation of the cloud and when conditions are met, the falling rain. But first there is a natural phenomenon that would be very beneficial to understand, Ashley. And that is the process of water evaporation and then condensation, they both have to do with temperature changes.”
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“As an example,” Mr. Rain continued, “when water is heated, the water changes into a state of vapor (steam), this condition can be attained by heating a pan of water or the sun heating the water in a lake, a river and even in the oceans. As the water evaporates it is turned into a gas that is called water vapor. As it rises, it confronts cooler air where it thickens, forming tiny drops of water called condensation. They are so light in weight that they are carried high into the sky.”
“They must be pretty small if they float,” said Ashley, “That when water is warmed, the temperature of the water rises.”
“Yes it does and this warming of the water causes it to evaporate which turns it into a vapor.”
“Steam, right little cloud?”
“Right Ashley,” replied the little cloud. “When the vapor cools and thickens into tiny drops of water that collect and become clouds.”
“Little cloud, can you show me how clouds are formed?” Asked Ashley.
“Well Ashley, I just told you how a cloud, through evaporation and then condensation, is formed. Now, I’ll show you how a cloud is formed and then the falling rain. OK?”
“OK,” replied Ashley. The little cloud hovered lower and Ashley could look right into the little cloud. The little cloud seemed to be made of a light mist. Which Ashley understood was actually very tiny drops of water.
“Do you see your yard wading pool?” asked the little cloud.
“Yes,” replied Ashley, feeling somewhat confused at the relationship.
“I will show you how a cloud is formed and when the little cloud meets cool air, it will darken and drop its enlarged and heavy droplets as rain.”
“Just like tears,” asked Ashley, “like a little cloud is crying?”
“Yes, Ashley, just like a little cloud is crying. So when you see the little cloud cry, we will have gone through the formation of a cloud and then the confrontation with cooler air, which produces, by additional condensation, larger drops of water. These drops of water are too large to float, so they fall in the form of rain.” Ashley was very excited about what the little cloud had said and was very anxious to see the formation of a cloud and then the falling rain.
“Like a little cloud that cried,” whispered Ashley, as she waited.
Once again the little cloud directed Ashley’s attention to the pool in her backyard.
“Watch the pool, Ashley.”
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Ashley turned toward the pool and suddenly realized that the little cloud was gone. She felt very sad and wondered why the little cloud was gone. She felt very sad and wondered why the little cloud had disappeared. But Ashley returned her attention to the pool a she was instructed to do. Ashley saw the reflection of the sun’s rays on the water and understood that the water had become warmer. Then she saw the heated water evaporate as it began to rise slowly in a vapor or gas state. It rose high into the sky and she knew that the water vapor would soon cool and thicken, forming tiny drops of water. And when this thickening of the vapor took place, she saw the little cloud once again.
“Oh, little cloud, I am so happy to see you again,” cried Ashley.
“And I’m happy to see you too,” replied the little cloud.
Now Ashley understood why the little cloud was visible again. The vapor had thickened into tiny drops of water and was now visible as a little cloud. Ashley also understood that evaporation could take place anywhere water collected. So it could occur in lakes, rivers and in the great seas and oceans of the world. Ashley looked high into the sky as the little cloud moved upward higher and higher. Finally, it met cooler air and the tiny drops of water joined together and became larger drops. The drops became too heavy to float and she actually saw the little cloud begin to cry.
“Oh please don’t cry!” said Ashley, “I don’t want
you to be unhappy!”
“Ashley,” said the little cloud, “I’m not unhappy.
It makes me very happy to provide rain to all
parts of the world, a very important role in the
natural phenomenon or event known as
‘weather’. I am a small part of nature’s forces,
but a very important one.”
“Yes I know,” said Ashley, as she watched the little cloud’s tears finally stop. “I know that without rain the Earth would be a dry desert and life could not exist.”
“That’s right, Ashley, the cycle of weather is very important to man’s existence.” Ashley looked up at the sun, then at the water in the pool and finally at the little cloud that was rising higher and higher into the sky. Ashley raised her hand and waved, feeling very grateful for the wonders of nature. The little cloud suddenly became a larger cloud as it went higher and higher.
“Collecting other tiny drops of water,” thought Ashley, as she smiled and whispered quietly,
“Goodbye little cloud. Thank you.” Ashley turned and walked toward the house and she knew that she would never forget the ‘little cloud that cried.’
But she suddenly realized that the clouds were of different types and shapes. Some cloud formations were wispy. Some were like blankets of clouds sometimes close to the surface of the earth and some were puffy and blossomed beautifully in the sky.
“I wonder,” thought Ashley, “why are they so different in shape and what is the difference between the wispy and the other formations?”
Ashley smiled and looked high into the sky.
“Little cloud,” she said, “I may have to talk to you again.”
For my Granddaughter, Ashley
In the Wind
Davy’s hair would have been blowing wildly in the wind, “but not today,” he smiled as he ran his fingers through his short hair. He saw the trees sway to the gusts of the wind. As he watched, he thought about the wind and wondered how the wind could be so mild, then at times, so strong. He thought about the sound of the wind, the howling and then the soft swishing in the high treetops. He even thought about the raging wind at the onset of a severe thunderstorm or its driving force in a winter blizzard.
“What causes the wind?” questioned Davy. “And what is its purpose?” “Surely,” he thought, “the wind can’t be all bad.”
Filled with questions about the wind, Davy, slowly walked back to the house. He was about to open the back door when a voice called out to him.
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“Davy!” it called. Startled, Davy turned and looked in the direction of the backyard. But there was nothing there but the leaves that blew harmlessly in the prevailing wind.
“Did someone call me!?” shouted Davy.
“Yes, Davy, I called you. Do you remember Mr. Wind?”
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“Oh yes!” cried Davy, “and I remember Mr. Rain, Mr. Grass, and Mr. Oak. I remember all of you and know you are all part of nature.”
“That’s right, Davy. We have a job to do for the good of all people. It seems you have some questions for me…hmm?”
Davy smiled and nodded in the direction of the voice.
“Yes I do, Mr. Wind, I’d like to know how you came to be. You know, what causes the wind? And how important are you to the world and to us? And why is the wind so calm at times and strong at other times?”
“Whoa, Davy! Whoa! We’d better start at the beginning, like maybe your uh… first question.”
Davy smiled and ran his fingers through his short hair again. “Okay, Mr. Wind. Davy’s eyes sparkled as he prepared to listen to Mr. Wind’s answers to his many questions about the wind.
“Come on down here, Davy!”
Davy looked down from the deck to the backyard and threw his hands up.
“I couldn’t see you, Mr. Wind!”
“Of course you can’t see me, Davy. Air is invisible to the eye. And I am air in motion. Understand?”
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“Nope,” replied Davy.
“Well, I’ll try to explain it in a different way. Remember, the only time you will see the wind is when it is mixed with dirt or anything that is visible to the eye. For example, you can see a tornado because it has soil and debris in its strong, rotating movement. Or, you can see the wind in the trees because of the branches moving with each gust. You can even see the air on a cold day when you exhale because the warm air from your lungs meets the cold air and condenses instantaneously making your breath momentarily visible.”
“Almost like forming a little cloud, huh?’
“Well, sort of, Davy. Except the warm vapor doesn’t have to climb any distance because the air around it is already cold.”
“Does the formation of the wind have anything to do with temperature changes?” Asked Davy.
“You know Davy, that’s a good question because many natural phenomenon (occurrences) in nature have to do with temperature changes. And now, we’ll start the formation of the wind and its extremes. Okay?”
Davy scratched his head and looked up.
“What do you mean by extremes, Mr. Wind?”
“By extremes, Davy, I mean from a slight breeze
to a very strong wind. See what I’m saying?”
“Yeah, I get it. From a light wind to a windstorm.”
“You got it, Davy. Now sit back and listen, okay?”
“Okay,” replied Davy.
“The Earth,” spoke Mr. Wind, “is submerged in an ocean of air. It is so important to our existence that we couldn’t live without it. And it is just as important to all air-breathing creatures of the world. Even fish, by the use of gills, extract oxygen or air from the water. If we consider air surrounded by a constant temperature, there would be no wind. But, we have sources of radiating heat and cold. One good example of heat is the sun. Good examples of cold sources are the North and South Pole, and of course, the changing seasons. Another example of a cold source is up high in the sky.
The higher you go, the cooler it becomes. This cooling with elevation contributes to weather changes, including cloud formation. All these temperature sources throughout the Earth are responsible for the different temperatures that exist throughout the land. Are you with me, Davy?”
“Yes, I am and it certainly is interesting. Are we getting close to the cause of the wind?”
Mr. Wind paused a moment and then said,
“We’ve been talking about the different temperatures throughout the Earth that are essential to wind development. Now, I’m going to tell you exactly how the wind is developed.”
Davy’s eyes sparkled as he thought about this natural occurrence (phenomenon) that he would now hopefully understand.
“Remember, Davy, the wind is caused when air is at different temperatures in different places. On a warm day, the sun heats the land. The hot land heats the air above it. This warm air begins to rise because it expands and becomes lighter than the cooler air around it. You see, Davy, as it rises, cooler air rushes in to take its place.”
“So where does cooler air come from?” asked Davy.
Mr. Wind paused a moment, rustled a few leaves on the lawn and said, “the cooler air could come from anywhere. Around the corner, out in the country, or anywhere the temperature is cooler than the rising air. Okay?”
“Yeah, I believe I get it now. When warm air rises, it has to be replaced, no ifs or buts.”
“Right, Davy, and when conditions of different temperatures throughout a large area exist, the movement of the air can vary from a moderate breeze to a more intense windstorm.”
“So we can have large amounts of cooler air replacing the rising warmer air causing a more intense wind with stronger gusts.”
“That’s right, Davy, and by now, you should understand that the rush of cooler air replacing warm air is essentially the creation of the wind. The velocity, however, is the quantity and the temperature of the warm air being replaced by cooler air.”
Davy, watching the trees swaying, nodded and said, “it sure takes a lot of work by nature to make these things happen.”
“It does, Davy, that’s why we have to take care of nature by not abusing the balance of its forces. We have to take care of our great rainforests that
are so important as natural habitats for thousands of
animals, as well as producing oxygen.
We have to avoid the pollution of our lakes, rivers, and
oceans of the world. The wind, alone, cannot support the
existence of life, but it is essential in the cycle of weather
and its movement around the world.”
Davy, thinking about what Mr. Wind had just said, looked
around at the trees, the grass on the lawn, the soil in the
garden, and even the small insects, smiled and said,
“Thank you, Mr. Wind. I really understand how the wind is developed, but more importantly, I know that if we expect nature to always be there for us, then we have to be there for nature. We have to realize that what we do for the good of nature, we do for ourselves. We will not and we cannot survive if we continue the abuse and destruction of our own ‘natural environment.'”
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Davy turned toward the area of the rustling leaves. “Will I see you again, Mr. Wind?”
“Now Davy,” replied Mr. Wind, “you know air is invisible and you can’t see me.”
Davy turned in the direction of Mr. Wind’s voice, and smiled.
“Oh, I can see you, Mr. Wind. I can see you in the sway of the branches of the trees or the blowing of leaves in a field and even high in the sky when blossoms of beautiful clouds move on their way to a rendezvous with natural conditions that will produce rain. And this rain, Mr. Wind, helps by insuring a more perfect natural environment.”
“You learned well, Davy. Yes, you’ll see me again and again and again…”
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For my Grandson, Davy.
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The Little Princess
“As a Princess, Kim, you would preserve the environment by reminding everyone that it is their responsibility to themselves and to this Earth.”
For my Granddaughter, Kim
There is very interesting phenomena in the realm of the natural world. Some, though important, are somewhat ominous to living things and then others seem to bring about an overwhelming sense of tranquility. Just picture a small brook with green grass and flowers growing along its narrow banks. Then listen to the water as it trickles rhythmically on its way to a lake and eventually to the sea.
Or imagine a tree in the foreground wavering and swaying as it whispers musically in the grasp of the prevailing wind. This scenario, quite extraordinary, is an event supported by Nature. There are questions that many people have about the conditions and, of course, the eventual fulfillment of these natural events. Some are obviously complex and quite difficult to understand. However, all must be answered if we are to understand the events that take place in the midst of our existence. The Natural world is home for all living things, including man and we must understand it, if we are to protect its existence as well as its influence on all life.
This story is about a little girl named Kim and some pertinent questions she had about the natural world. And who would have been better to answer these questions? Well, it would have to be “Mother Nature” herself.
Nature’s Little Princess
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It was a beautiful morning and Kim was looking forward to having the whole day to do as she pleased, with Mom and Dad’s consent, of course. It was certainly a nice day and Kim’s dimple became quite noticeable when she smiled thinking about all the things she could do right there in her own backyard. She decided to start with the trampoline. It was always fun to bounce and do flips. Then, she would probably practice on the parallel bar. Kim was becoming quite a gymnast and appeared to be a natural. And then, of course, there was always the wading pool. It was so much fun to splash and simply just get wet. And on those hot summer days it was certainly a good way to stay cool.
Kim walked quickly towards the trampoline and pulled herself up. She was surprised to see how wet her shoes were.
“Just from walking on the grass?” she thought.
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She knew no one had watered the lawn and it
hadn’t rained the night before.
“Hmm… I wonder,” Kim whispered.
“If it hasn’t rained and no one watered the lawn,
where does this water come from?”
Kim looked closer at the grass, and sure enough, it had little drops of water on its dark green blades. Kim was not only concerned with the wet grass, but she also questioned its green color.
“Why is the grass green in the summer and then brown in the fall and winter?”
Kim discovered that she had many questions to ask and pleasantly remembered Mr. Grass, Mr. Rain, and Mr. Wind who, she thought, would furnish the proper answers.
“Oh! I almost forgot,” she smiled, “and the grumpy, old Mr. Oak.”
It seemed so long ago that Kim and her sister, Ashley, along with their cousins Abby and David had unexpectedly encountered four very popular entities of Nature. Sarah, Abby’s sister, was just a baby so she, of course, wasn’t there to meet them. But Kim felt certain that Sarah would see and meet all of them very soon. Kim, with questions about the green, wet grass still very much on her mind, nodded.
“I’ll just have to ask Mr. Grass. He’ll know, of course he will.”
Kim climbed down from the trampoline and walked slowly in the green, wet grass.
“Mr. Grass!” She called. “Mr. Grass! Do you hear me?”
Kim listened closely and just above the swishing of the wind in the trees, she heard.
“Well, well, well! Kim you sure have grown.” Mr. Grass paused for a moment and then continued.
“Of course I hear you. And I can see you have questions about nature, hmm?”
Kim, noticeably excited, answered.
“Yes I do, and I have grown a little, Mr. Grass. You see, I’m in the second grade.”
“Very good, Kim. Yes, I can see you are growing up. And how are your sister and your cousins getting along?”
“Oh, they’re fine, Mr. Grass. I see David all the time but Abby and Sarah live in Florida and we don’t see them very often. And I’m very sure,” continued Kim, “that we all care and would do anything we could to help nature. Don’t you think so, Mr. Grass?”
Mr. Grass paused, swayed for a moment and then said,
“Yes, Kim, I’m sure you all care and would do what you could. As a matter of fact, I saw a little cloud that told me she had a nice discussion with Ashley. And I also talked to Mr. Wind who said he had a very nice visit with David. I’m sure you will all continue to care about nature.”
“I can tell,” continued Mr. Grass, “by the interest you’ve shown me and the willingness to learn more about natural events that are so important, if not critical, in supporting life. And I’m also quite sure, Kim, that your cousins in Florida will soon see and talk to at least one, if not all four, of us.”
Mr. Grass swayed and the yard suddenly became a waving sea of green. Kim stared in awe and watched the beauty of the green grass in motion. It was so relaxing; it was as if the wind the grass had become one. The sound was a low hum so beautiful that it had to have come from none other the Nature herself. That spell was broken, however, when a familiar voice asked,
“Now Kim, shall we start with the questions you asked?”
Kim’s big, brown eyes sparkled as she looked down at Mr. Grass and said,
“Yes, Mr. Grass, I would like that.”
“Kim,” said Mr. Grass, “your question about why grass is green is a very good one. You know, there are many plants including grass that are green. And the answer to your question will be true for most other green plants, as well. First, we have to understand that most plants take food and water from the soil, through their roots. Air is taken in through tiny holes in their leaves. The green coloring is called ‘Chlorophyll.’”
“Chlorophyll. What is that?” asked Kim, with a puzzled look on her face.
“Well,” continued Mr. Grass, “it’s a green substance that allows the plant to collect the energy from sunlight and through a phenomenal process, turns water and air into sugar. This sugar gives plants strength to grow and stay healthy. Are you following me, Kim?”
“Well, sort of, but how does this green chlorophyll do it?”
Mr. Grass swayed in the gentle breeze, paused momentarily, and then said,
“Kim, the chlorophyll has the properties or the ability to change water and air into sugar when exposed to sunlight. This process is called “Photosynthesis.” The chlorophyll along with sunlight energy changes water and air into sugar, or more commonly called “Carbohydrates.” This phenomenon, Kim, is another natural event that insures the survival of our chlorophyll-containing plants.”
​
Kim looked down at Mr. Grass and smiled.
“You know, Mr. Grass, if I could have my way,
I would become a Princess and all the wonders
that nature has created, I would watch over
and protect.”
Mr. Grass, overwhelmed with emotion, paused
for a moment and was somewhat speechless
when suddenly an Oak tree arched and swayed
in the grasp of the gusting wind.
“Well, Kim, it looks like Mr. Wind and Mr. Oak think it’s a good idea. But for now, we’d better take a look at the other question you had.”
“Like, my question about the wet grass?”
“Yes Kim, why droplets of water collect on the leaves of plants and in this case, the grass. There is an event that takes place in the formation of the clouds. Do you remember reading Ashley’s story about the ‘Little Cloud that Cried?’?”
“Yes I do, Mr. Grass. When water is heated, water is transformed into a water, gas-like vapor. This water vapor,” continued Kim, with her hands stretched high above her head, “ascends high into the sky and when it confronts cooler temperatures, it condenses and little tiny drops of water develop. Because these drops of water are so tiny, they actually float and become a cloud.”
“Right Kim! You remembered!”
“Yes I do. And I also remember how the wind is developed. Like when Mr. Wind explained it to David in the story; In the Wind”
“Very good, Kim, and now we’ll continue with how droplets of water collect on plants. You see, Kim, the ground and plants are warmed by the sun and this warmth collects water vapor that surrounds the plant, or in this case, the grass. At night, when the Earth cools, the warm vapor surrounding the plants, through condensation, converts into small droplets of water. This water, or moisture, on your early morning lawn collected by this event is called dew.”
Kim, noticeably impressed, looked at Mr. Grass and smiled.
“Thank you, Mr. Grass. I think I understand the reason for the grass being green and certainly where the moisture, or dew, comes from. Now why does the grass turn brown and yellow when the weather turns cold?”
“There, Kim, you just said it. When cold weather or the season changes, the grass turns to a golden brown and the leaves of the beautiful trees turn to a red, yellow and brown. A very beautiful sight, don’t you think?”
“Yes I do,” replied Kim. What happens to the grass and leaves? Do they die?”
“Not really, Kim. It’s more like another event in nature of which there are so many. When the season changes because of the Earth’s position to the sun, indirect sunlight is dominant and we go from Summer to Autumn. The trees, as well as most plant life, go into a deep sleep or dormant state and cold temperatures prevail, including snow. Then, they are finally awakened when the Winter season, again, because of the Earth’s position to the sun, surrenders to the warm and windy spring. The tree branches project their just-visible buds and new leaves will ultimately develop. The grass, now in direct sunlight, begins to show a tint of green. And so, Kim, we have a colorful world once again. Do you have any more questions?”
Kim’s expression was one of gratification. She was so grateful to Mr. Grass for all the questions he answered and, above all, she truly believed that all people young and old should be active or doing something to make sure that nature will always be there for us.
“Thank you, Mr. Grass. It was so nice to talk to you and learn so many things about Nature’s events.”
Kim’s eyes sparkled and her dimple certainly presented itself when she smiled, making her baby tooth quite apparent.
Mr. Grass was momentarily quiet and then swayed and happily affirmed.
“If I could do my will, Kim, I would make you a Princess of Nature for I know you would preserve our environment by reminding everyone that it is their responsibility to themselves and to all that walk the Earth. Yes Kim, you are a Princess.”
“Will I talk to you again, Mr. Grass?” asked Kim with a smile and turned toward the waving grass.
“Of course you will, Kim. You’re a Princess, you know.”
Kim walked slowly on the green grass and noticed that the dew was gone.
“Probably returned to its water vapor state,” she thought.
She also knew that she would definitely see water vapor again, either in the early morning on her lawn as dew or some afternoon from a cloudy sky as rain. Kim looked up when she heard her father call.
​
“Come on in, Kim, it’s lunch time!”
Kim ran quickly into her father’s waiting arms.
“Hi Dad,” she said.
“Hi baby. How’s our little Princess?”
Kim smiled and was pleasantly surprised when she heard her Father call her Princess. Could it be that Mr. Grass really did make her a Princess of Nature?
“Am I a Princess, Dad?” she asked.
“Of course,” replied her Father. “You are and you always will be.”
At lunch, Kim wondered about what Mr. Grass said.
“Preserve our environment by reminding everyone that it is their responsibility, to themselves and to all that walk the Earth.”
“Like maybe protecting the water we drink and the air we breathe,” she whispered.
“Maybe I’ll just have to talk to Mr. Rain and Mr. Wind.”
That night Kim lay in bed still thinking about Nature and what Mr. Grass had said about making her a Little Princess. Kim was just awake when her Mother came in to tuck her in.
Kim slowly opened her eyes.
“Goodnight, Mom,” she said.
Kim’s Mother pleasantly smiled, as she straightened Kim’s comforter.
“Good night, my little Princess,” she said.
Kim nestled her head comfortably into the pillow.
“I guess I am a Princess,” she said, as she drifted into a special sleep, to dream a dream that only Princesses dream.
For my Granddaughter, Kimmy
Abby’s Bugs and Butterflies
(“What is it?”)
One of a series of Stories written for my Grandchildren. This one is for Abby and Sarah Martin. At the time of this writing, they were residing in Tampa, Florida.
For Abby and Sarah.
Not a second goes by, that nature doesn’t perform some event consistent with preserving life through its life-sustaining environment. Certainly, the science of Ecology, concerned with the interaction of organisms, is very important in showing the contribution that organisms play, as essential components, to its reality. Because of this natural phenomenon, life exists on a, would be, cold and desolate inanimate world. Even the simplest principles of natural law are essential to the existence of all life.
In the animal world alone, quite phenomenal, but there are over a million species known to science and about seventy five percent of them are insects. Not only are there many kinds of insects but they are also exceedingly numerous. A square yard of forest soil may contain about thirty thousand of them little creepy crawlers. Consequently questions are frequently raised about nature’s many little bugs, their origin and their ultimate importance to man’s existence. And who would be better suited to answer these questions, than Nature herself.
This is a short story about a little girl named Abby and her little sister Sarah and their desire to know more about the natural events that influence and encourage conditions for the existence of all that walk the earth. And it goes something like this.
​
​
It was a beautiful afternoon in Tampa, Florida. The sun was bright and warm and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Abby and her wonderful dog played happily in the backyard. Star, a white Lab and relatively friendly, enjoyed chasing the Frisbee and would jump high to retrieve it. Abby, noticing that Star was particularly curious about something on the ground, walked over to see what Star was so concerned about. There on the ground was a little bug. It was red and had black spots on its back. It looked like a very small beetle.
“A ladybug,” muttered Abby. “I wonder if it wants to fly away.”
Abby placed the ladybug on the palm of her hand and began to chant, “ladybug - ladybug - fly away.”
Before she could finish the little verse, the ladybug flew right off her hand and began to fly higher and higher. Abby waved her hands high above her head and cried.
“Good bye, little ladybug!”
She watched the little ladybug fly round and round until it was out of sight.
​
“I wonder,” thought Abby.
“Where do the ladybugs come from? Where do they live and how important are they to us and the way we live?”
With many questions on her mind, Abby returned to her playing. Star continued to run after the Frisbee that Abby had thrown and, like a good dog, always brought it back to her. Meanwhile Sarah, Abby’s little sister, played heartily in the yard and now seemed to be fascinated with a large butterfly. It was flying very low and Sarah began to follow it. It was bright yellow and red and on the lower part of its wings there were round black markings that looked like eyes. The butterfly seemed to want to play as it flew circles around Sarah and lit right on her shoulder. Abby was quite impressed with Sarah’s little pet and walked toward Sarah for a closer look.
“It sure is a friendly butterfly,” she said.
“Do you like your butterfly, Sarah?”
Sarah nodded with a grin and her eyes
sparkled as she enjoyed her little playmate.
“Don’t you think it’s a pretty butterfly, Abby?”
“Yeah, Sarah, it’s very pretty.”
Sarah ran happily in the yard as the butterfly followed close behind. Abby watched the dragon flies chasing after mosquitoes as they flew in a circular pattern. Abby had always been interested in nature and its many inhabitants including the many insects that existed.
The following morning as Abby walked out into the Patio, she was suddenly drawn by the many insects that were either flying or scurrying along on the ground. She knew there were many but hadn’t realized that there were so many different kinds of bugs. She watched them for a moment and then thought more about the ladybug but now she also wondered about the butterfly.
“Maybe I should ask Mr. Wind, Mr. Oak, Mr. Grass and Mr. Rain” Abby thought aloud.
Abby remembered them because she had met them one day while playing with her cousins, Ashley, David and Kim. She remembered how they had explained many interesting things about Nature even though Mr. Oak thought he was King of the forest. But Abby remembered how he was taught a lesson.
“Now,” she whispered with a grin, “he’s a good Mr. Oak. But more importantly,” she continued, “they explained that what they were doing was for the good of all living creatures and that each one had a very important job to do. Now, I think I would like to talk to all four of them again.”
Abby’s eyes suddenly opened wide when she realized.
“I wonder if they would be here in Florida, since my cousins and I talked to them in Kansas City. Maybe they won’t be here.”
Abby lowered her head and was feeling somewhat sad, when suddenly a voice rang out.
“Well hello, Abby!” Abby looked up and was pleasantly surprised to see the tall and mighty, Mr. Oak.
“Hi Mr. Oak, I’m so glad to see you.”
“And I’m glad to see you and of course, your little sister, Sarah.” Replied Mr. Oak as he looked about and continued.
“It’s certainly nice here in Florida. Do you like it here, Abby?”
“Yes I do, Mr. Oak. I like my school and all my friends. Mom and Dad seem to like it here too. Maybe it’s because the weather is very nice and we certainly don’t have hurricanes very often but we do, at times, have some pretty heavy rain. And it does get pretty windy sometimes too.”
“Yes, it sure is nice here in Florida,” repeated Mr. Oak, as he swayed gently in the grasp of Mr. Wind. But you do have to be very careful when Hurricanes develop and set a northerly course toward land, or in this case, Florida. Their high winds and heavy rain along with their storm induced tornadoes are very dangerous and safety procedures and practices during these giant storms should be adhered to or addressed. And you know as well as I do that Florida is very vulnerable to these giant storms.”
“Yes I know, Mr. Oak, most everyone respects the might and destructive power of a Hurricane. I know we do. Sometimes we have to evacuate to places that are not on the path of the approaching Hurricane.”
“I’m glad to hear that, Abby,” said Mr. Oak, “maybe next time we can talk more about Hurricanes. Okay?”
“I’d like that, Mr. Oak; I know Sarah would like to know more about them, too,” replied an attentive Abby.
“Sarah seems very interested in Hurricanes. Maybe I can talk to her about how Hurricanes develop in the warm oceans of the tropics.”
Mr. Oak looked at Abby’s confused expression and asked.
“Did you find something very familiar in what I just said about the warm oceans of the tropics, Abby?”
“Well yeah, Mr. Oak, it seems that their development has something to do with temperature, just like Ashley’s, Kim’s and David’s stories about cloud development, the dew on plants and of course the wind. It’s almost certain that the developing Hurricane has something to do with temperature and water evaporation, at least that’s what I think.”
“Abby, you’re right, but that’s another story we’ll get to when I visit with Sarah. Okay?”
“Okay, Mr. Oak, I’m going to love reading about Sarah’s little Hurricane. I know she’ll love listening to all of you with the explanation and demonstration of the development and movement of a Hurricane.”
Sarah nodded wildly and waved her hands as Mr. Oak swayed in the presence of Mr. Wind.
“Okay, Sarah, we all agree that we’ll be here to answer your questions about nature just like we’ve done with your sister and cousins, right?”
Sarah looked at the swaying grass and the wavering Mr. Oak.
“Yes and thank you, Mr. Wind,” she nodded with a big smile.
“I see the wooded area behind your house is a refuge for animals native to the area.”
“Yes, Mr. Oak,” said Abby, pointing to the wooded area bordering the backyard, “all animals including endangered species are sheltered and here in Florida natural habitats are supported for their protection and survival.”
Mr. Oak was noticeably impressed with the positive attitude towards Nature.
“Abby, I see you have some questions to ask about nature.”
Abby smiled and happily replied.
“Yes I do, Mr. Oak but I also have questions to ask Mr. Wind, Mr. Rain and Mr. Grass.”
“Don’t worry, Abby I’ll answer your questions,” said Mr. Grass. “And so will I,” followed Mr. Wind and Mr. Rain.”
Abby grinned and was so happy just knowing that she had all four of them to answer her questions about nature.
“Thank you,” she cried, “thank you.”
“You see, Abby,” said Mr. Wind, “we are all here to answer your questions. We are Nature, and we are here for you and all that inhabit
the earth. It is the responsibility of everyone
Abby, to become involved in helping to
preserve the earth’s natural resources,
keeping the balance of nature in check
and thereby maintaining the environment of life.”
“You mean like making sure that our drinking
water is safe as well as the air we breathe and
the ultimate care for the land that’s a major
source of our life-sustaining food?”
“Right Abby,” smiled Mr. Wind.
“And don’t forget what man is continually destroying, like the diminishing South American rainforests and the toxic wastes that are polluting the land and water all over the world. You know Abby? Maybe a time will come when man may develop an environment that will sustain life. Maybe he will and maybe he won’t, but until then you have nature and if you take care of her she will always be there for you.”
Abby listened with so much interest that she was almost speechless.
“Do you understand what Mr. Wind has been talking about, Abby?” Asked Mr. Rain.
​
“Oh, yes!” cried Abby, “I know what Mr. Wind is talking about. I know that nature is very important to all of us. Even Sarah’s pretty butterfly, right Sarah?”
Sarah smiled and waved her little hands.
“It looks like we’re going to have another little girl interested in helping maintain the balance of nature,” smiled Mr. Wind.
Sarah’s big blue eyes sparkled and she ran laughingly after Star with the butterfly flying high above her head.
“How, can we help to keep nature working for us, all of us?” Asked Abby.
“You know, Abby,” added Mr. Grass, “I had a long talk with your cousin, Kim. She had questions, like yours, that were very important in her understanding of what nature really does for all that live on this Earth.”
“And I had a long talk with your cousin, David,” added Mr. Wind. He had very good questions about the wind and I’m sure we covered them quite well.”
“Yes I know. All my cousins are interested and ready to help keep our natural world in good condition.”
Abby looked around at the trees bordering her yard, at the blue sky and at the green grass in her yard.
“Yes,” continued Abby, “it’s a wonderful world. And if we want to keep it that way then it’s up to us to help nature do its job. Not just for ourselves but for everybody and everything.”
Mr. Grass, very impressed with Abby’s remarks, asked.
“What about Miss Sarah, Abby, will you teach her about nature?”
“Oh, I think she already knows a little about nature,” said Abby with a big grin, “she loves the outdoors and just yesterday, she was playing with a very pretty butterfly that lit right on her shoulder! So,” Abby continued, “between Sarah’s butterfly, my ladybug and the bug world, there are a few things I would like to know.”
“Very well, Abby,” said Mr. Rain, “we’ll start with the ladybug, OK?”
Abby’s eyes brightened and with a very big smile cried, “OK!”
Mr. Wind, making his presence known, blew lightly over the trees and caused Mr. Oak to bend a bit. Mr. Grass began his ocean-like waves and the lawn suddenly became a turbulent sea as the grass waved beautifully across the yard. Abby in a state of awe watched the brilliant performance. Mr. Oak wavered and swayed while Mr. Grass became a beautiful waving sea. Mr. Rain, not to be outdone, began his rain making process as clouds gathered high in the sky. Abby and Sarah watched as the clouds became larger and turned a soft gray before releasing their tiny drops of water as rain.
“I’d better get an umbrella,” cried Abby. Abby took Sarah’s hand and began to run towards the house.
“Whoa,” cried Mr. Rain, “you won’t need one.”
Abby and Sarah stopped short of the patio and sure enough the rain had stopped. Except for a few drops trickling down their little noses, Abby and Sarah were dry and very impressed as Abby took Sarah’s hand and returned to a very sophisticated panel.
“The Ladybird Beetle is also called a 'Ladybug,' Abby.”
Abby looked up and nodded as she held her
little sister’s hand.
​
“The name originated,” continued Mr. Rain, “in
the Middle Ages, when the beetle was dedicated
to the Virgin Mary and called “Beetle of our Lady.”
“Why would they do that?” Asked Abby.
“You know Abby, back in those days if something was good or even if it was just thought to be good, it was given a special religious name. The church was very much involved in the people’s lives. And because the Ladybird Beetle or Ladybug was very helpful to the farmer and his harvest, the Ladybug was called ‘Beetle of Our Lady and eventually ‘The Ladybird Beetle.'”
“Now, before we go on, Abby, do you have any questions?”
“Well . . . yeah, Mr. Rain, how were the ladybugs so helpful to the farmer?”
“With that question, we’ll just go to Mr. Wind and he’ll address your question, OK, Abby?”
Abby smiled and really enjoyed the attention she was getting.
“OK, Mr. Rain - and hi, Mr. Wind!”
“Hi Abby. Your question, of course, was how the ladybugs helped the farmer.”
Mr. Wind paused for a moment and then said.
“Abby we’re going to talk a little about the balance of nature. Even though what I’m going to say is true for all animals we will confine this discussion to the insect.”
Abby listened closely as Mr. Wind continued.
“There are insects that prey on insects and other insects that feed on them. And it goes on and on until the insect population is kept in check or somewhat under control. Yes, Abby all species in the insect world have a natural enemy.”
“Do all insects eat other bugs?” Asked Abby and frowned at the thought of eating bugs.
“No, not all insects are predators that prey on other insects, some are dependent completely on vegetation and are sometimes responsible for the destruction of farmers crops. And this is why clusters of ladybird beetles or ladybugs were often gathered and used by farmers to control insect pests such as aphids, scales, and mites. By using the ladybird beetles or ladybugs to feed on the pests that were quite destructive to his crop, the farmer, obviously, had a better chance for a good crop.”
Mr. Wind paused and waited for Abby’s questions that he knew would come.
“Well Abby, cat got your tongue?”
“Sorry, Mr. Wind, I do have another question about the many insects or bugs that seem to be everywhere. How important are they to our survival on this planet Earth?”
“Hold on to that question, Abby and we’ll answer that a little bit later, OK? Right now we should talk about the butterfly, don’t you think so Sarah?” Sarah’s bright blue eyes sparkled as she smiled knowing that her little playmate would be the next subject of this very interesting discussion. Of course Sarah being just short of a year and a half wasn’t quite ready to ask many questions but by just looking into Abby and Sarah’s eyes one could almost assure that Sarah would definitely repeat, many times, that familiar question of Abby’s. ‘What is it?”
“Well, I suppose it’s Mr. Grass’s turn to answer any questions you and Sarah might have. OK, Abby?”
“OK, Mr. Wind and thank you so much, I learned a lot about the ladybug and about the many insects. Hi, Mr. Grass.”
“Hi again Abby and how is that little gal, Miss Sarah?”
Sarah grinned and picked up a twig that was lying on the lawn. She ran and threw it into the trees bordering the backyard. Then with a shrug of her shoulders and what seemed to be an exaggerated swing of her right arm, she quickly returned to Abby’s side.
“Oh she’s fine, Mr. Grass. We are really enjoying talking to all of you. Now I guess its Sarah’s butterfly that we have to learn about, right, Mr. Grass?”
“Absolutely. As you know, Abby, there are numerous kinds of butterflies so we’ll just pick the one that Sarah saw yesterday, OK?”
Abby nodded her head and Mr. Grass continued.
“In the caterpillar (larvae) stage of this beautiful Peacock butterfly it ate great amounts of food such as plant leaves and even garden crops. When it became too big for its skin, it grew a new one. This molting or shedding of its skin happened several times before attaching itself to a plant twig or bush where the chrysalis or cocoon is formed.
​
During this event of development, which is called the pupal stage, larvae characteristics disappear and adult structures form including its beautiful wings. The adult emerges from the cocoon or pupa skin by chewing its way out or by the secretion of a cocoon softening fluid. After undergoing a complete metamorphosis or transformation, the caterpillar became Sarah’s pretty butterfly, which is the imago or adult stage in its development.
Would you like to see the stages of development, Abby?”
Abby looked up and was nodding her head before she cried out.
“Oh yes, Mr. Grass, I would like that!”
Abby and Sarah looked in awe as Mr. Grass displayed in series the stages of the development of a butterfly. First an egg was displayed, from which emerged a crawling caterpillar. Abby and Sarah watched the caterpillar as it crawled and ate until it shed its skin several times. And they watched as the caterpillar found a sturdy twig and attached itself to it. Then they saw the caterpillar spinning a protective covering and completely enclosing itself in what looked like a silky looking small pocket.
“This would be the pupal stage, right, Mr. Grass?”
“Yes indeed, Abby,”
​
“And this is the stage that actually changes the caterpillar into a beautiful winged butterfly, right Mr. Grass?”
Mr. Grass, very much impressed, responded.
“Very good, Abby, I’m sure happy to see that you were listening and you certainly care about nature and the balance of these very important species in the animal world.”
“Yes I do, Mr. Grass,” replied Abby.
“I realize that they are important but as I asked Mr. Wind. How important is the insect world to our survival on this planet Earth?”
“Yes I know,” recalled Mr. Grass, “he put you off until we finished talking about the natural balance of these numerous forms of life and of course, Sarah’s butterfly.”
Sarah, still watching the final stage of the transformation, smiled and her eyes sparkled as the fully developed butterfly began to fly. It flew gracefully up into the sky then circled Sarah and lit once again on her shoulder. Abby grinned and again approached Sarah for a closer look.
“Yup, it’s the same, a Peacock butterfly, Mr. Grass.” Abby shook her head and uttered, “Nature sure is magical.”
“Yes it is, Abby, nature is full of events or phenomenon that would seem quite magical to many people. But you see Abby, the magic is that without natures continuing efforts, there would be nothing, including life, on this cold and desolate inanimate world.”
Abby nodded and was quite taken by Mr. Grass’ conclusion.
“Now Abby, it’s time for Mr. Oak to answer the question you had previously asked.”
“You mean the one about the importance of the insect world to our survival?”
“Yup that’s it, Abby.”
“Thank you Mr. Grass and Hi, Mr. Oak.”
“Hi Abby and little Sarah. You probably have a pretty good idea about how important or how beneficial insects are for human survival, don’t you Abby?”
“Well Mr. Oak,” replied Abby, “after listening to all four of you and the very good answers to my questions, I do have some ideas about how important insects are to human survival. And, of course, I do believe the insect world is extremely important to our survival.”
Abby looked up at the swaying Mr. Oak, and pointed.
“See that honey bee at that flower and that butterfly in flight that will soon land on some flowering plant? Insects, Mr. Oak, are by far the major pollinators of flowering plants. Some insects are important scavengers as decomposers of dead plants and animals that naturally recycle nitrogen, carbon and other elements necessary for life. And some prey upon plants, insects and other animals to help keep their populations in check, or balanced.”
Abby smiled and looked up high at Mr. Rain, who, again, sprinkled a few drops of rain on the girls’ noses.
“Some insects,” Abby continued, turning towards Mr. Oak, who was in the grasp of Mr. Wind, “are important food for many animals.”
Mr. Wind became still and the others listened in silence as Abby continued.
“Finally, Mr. Grass, insects are second only to earthworms as tillers and aerators of the soil, thereby enhancing the growth of all species of plants, timber and, of course, life sustaining food. Consequently insects seem to be very important or beneficial to man and I honestly believe, Mr. Oak, that we could not survive without them.”
Mr. Oak swayed rhythmically in the grasp of Mr. Wind and Mr. Grass waved beautifully in a sea of green. Mr. Rain sprinkled lightly on the swaying branches of Mr. Oak and on the beautiful waving sea of Mr. Grass.
“Well done, Abby. And to think, it all started with a Ladybug and the questions you had for us. I would bet your mom and dad are very proud with your interest in nature. I know we are. One other thing I didn’t mention, Abby, is that there is only one animal on this Earth that is capable of saving this life-giving environment. I’m sure by now you know that the animal is Man.”
“But the sad part is that he is also the only one that continues to destroy it. If for no other reason than greed, which is politically called technology, this beautiful environment is threatened. One has only to recall some very important words once voiced by a great philosopher… What does it benefit a man,” he said, “to gain all the riches in the world and lose your soul?”
“I guess we’ll have to go now and answer other children’s questions about nature. It sure was a pleasure to answer your questions, Abby, and to see your little sister, Miss Sarah. I’m sure we’ll have questions coming from her one of these days, wouldn’t you say, Abby?”
“Oh I’m sure you all will,” replied Abby, drying a tear from her eye and continuing, “one of these days.”
​
Abby and Sarah walked slowly and turned occasionally to wave at Mr. Wind, Mr. Rain, Mr. Grass and of course Mr. Oak. As the pair neared the patio doors, Abby turned and saw Sarah point at a little bug nestled deep in a clump of grass. Sarah looked up at Mom and Dad who had just walked out to meet them and excitedly asked,
“What is it?”
​
Mom and Dad’s eyes widened and almost laughingly said, “here we go again.”
Written for my Granddaughters, Abby and little Sarah
Sarah's Hurricane
When warm ocean water and low air pressure at the ocean's surface come together, it can form a storm in the tropics or around the equator. This, however, isn't all that's needed for a full-blown Hurricane. But Nature, with its unlimited conditions for a Natural Laboratory, can provide just about any condition that is required for some of the most remarkable phenomena. While it can be quite complicated and maybe somewhat difficult to understand, questions pertaining to the Hurricane often arise and must be addressed for a thorough understanding of this extraordinary occurrence. This is an event that frequently triggers even the greatest minds in their continued search for answers and to unravel the mysteries to Mother Nature's ongoing feats of seemingly magic.
There are many questions just waiting to be
asked about the remarkable events or natural
occurrences of distinct weather disturbances
and their sometimes-dangerous conditions.
Man, in particular, would seek a place of safety
while many animals, by using their naturally
inborn perception, sense the approaching
danger that instinctively drives them to seek
refuge.
Somehow, we must certainly understand that in Nature's vocabulary there isn't a maybe or a regret, because when the conditions are right for any of Nature's phenomena, they will happen. So it is up to man and all that inhabit earth to understand and to respect Nature's occurrences. For these events, though appearing to be somewhat insensitive at times, will benefit, as well as continue, the ultimate survival of life on earth. Of course, questions will ultimately crop up and who would be more equipped to answer these important questions than Mother Nature herself?
Sarah, in deep thought, walked slowly in the green grass at her home in Tampa Florida. She wondered if Mr. Grass, Mr. Wind, Mr. Rain and of course that grumpy old Mr. Oak would come to visit and to answer some of the questions she had about that mean and dangerous Hurricane. The Hurricane season was always a time when people living near the shore of a large body of water, such as the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic Ocean would pay much attention to the news and weather report. The storm itself would usually begin with an occurrence such as a developing tropical disturbance. Then, it would develop into a more sophisticated disturbance such as a Hurricane and its consequential storms with extreme winds and rainfall.
"Sarah!" called a very loud and gruff voice. Sarah though startled at the booming voice, looked about and there near the state-supported wildlife sanctuary (or reserve) was a mighty Oak.
​
"Hi, Mr. Oak, " cried Sarah with a big smile on her face.
"Well, hi Sarah. I see you're interested, just as your sister and cousins are, in the ongoing weather and natural occurrences."
"Yes Mr. Oak, just like my sister and cousins, I too want to know about the natural events that so effect our environment and how they came to be."
"Sarah, before we get to answer the questions you have, I want you to say hi to Mr. Wind, Mr. Rain, and of course Mr. Grass. Do you remember them? I believe you had some conversation with them in your sister's story 'Abby's Bugs and Butterflies.' Do you remember that playmate you enjoyed?"
​
Sarah turned toward the bushes lining the yard and sure enough a butterfly flew about spreading the dust-like microspores from one flower to the next.
"You bet, Mr. Oak. I remember all of you. And yes, I remember my playmate."
Sarah smiled as she pointed toward the low flying Butterfly busy in her natural tasks.
"It was a beautiful Butterfly just like the one that just set itself on that pretty flower."
Mr. Wind, making himself known, swished through the green grass making a wave-like impression.
"Just like a sea of grass, so beautiful. Thank you, Mr. Wind, and I knew you would make yourself known by demonstrating this beautiful scene. And that sprinkle on my nose, just told me that Mr. Rain has arrived. Right, Mr. Rain?"
"Right, Sarah and Mr. Grass, of course, is here as he demonstrated with Mr. Wind in that beautiful display of a Sea of Green."
Sarah looked toward the green grass and with a big smile, "yep, they sure did, and I'm sure glad that you are all here to answer my questions about that mean and dangerous Hurricane."
"You know, Sarah, even though the Hurricane seems to be mean and dangerous it also has a function and benefit."
"Gee, Mr. Rain, of what benefit could a Hurricane be if it threatens the well-being of man and animals?"
"Now, that's a good question, but first we want to explain the actual makeup of the storm which is the Hurricane. How it develops and why it becomes a danger to plants and animals, Okay?"
"I would like that," smiled Sarah. "And I would also like to know why there are such storms in Nature since I believed that all of Nature's events were to benefit the existence of life on earth."
"We'll get to that question after we develop our Hurricane, okay?"
Sarah nodded and wondered why she was so privileged to have Nature's phenomenal experts at her fingertips. Mr. Wind was so helpful with answers to her sister’s and cousins’ questions. Mr. Grass was a wonderful source to Cousin Kim's questions that were so understandingly answered. Mr. Rain was great and was an obvious important element that certainly tied the others to a well-balanced and functional Mother Nature. As for Mr. Oak, well it was certainly understood that our lumber and natural habitats are very essential toward the existence of all animals including man.
Sarah was suddenly awakened from her thoughts as Mr. Wind began his explanation.
"First," he said, as Sarah turned toward the swaying plants in the yard that showed the presence of Mr. Wind, "I will answer your question, after we develop the Hurricane from a tropical disturbance, okay?"
Sarah nodded and waited patiently for Mr. Wind's approach to the development of the massive storm 'The Hurricane.'
"A tropical storm needs certain conditions in order to form. It needs a lot of warm ocean water and an area of low pressure at the ocean's surface. Winds blow toward this area of low pressure. Then, the ocean provides heat and water vapor. Then as the warm and moist air rises, water vapor condenses. During condensation heat is released, (water vapor releases heat as it condenses) this makes the air warmer and more clouds form. These clouds sometimes
become thunderstorms. Then as more warm
air rises when heat is released from water
vapor condensation, the storms grow.
"Mr. Wind," Sarah frowned, "How can water
vapor form when the water isn't boiling?"
​
Mr. Wind made his presence known not only
with the swaying of Mr. Oak but the waving
of the grass.
"Sarah, you are listening and thank you for a very good question." Replied Mr. Wind. "Now all the water needs to vaporize is the heat produced by the sun and in the Tropics, there is plenty of sunshine and warm water currents that with a low pressure at the surface of the ocean triggers a phenomenon that will produce our Hurricane. But first we will begin with the origin of the Tropical Disturbance. Remember Sarah, after the warm ocean water provides the heat and water vapor, the warm moist air rises. The water vapor rises and condenses forming clouds. Do you remember Ashley's story in the Little Cloud that Cried?"
"Yes, I do Mr. Wind, and I do remember that the warm moist air rises until it meets colder air and condenses creating the beautiful clouds."
"Exactly Sarah, that's exactly what happens. The clouds developing from the rising moist air are essentially the beginning of a Tropical Disturbance. You see Sarah, the condensation of the warm water vapor releases the heat that caused the vaporizing to begin with. Do you understand what has happened so far?"
"Oh, yes I do Mr. Wind it is very clear and I do enjoy the magic tricks of Nature."
"Very well Sarah, now it’s time for Mr. Rain to get into the discussion. Okay, Mr. Rain?"
"You got it, Mr. Wind, and I'm ready to answer or to continue the discussion for a very cute little gal, Sarah."
Sarah smiled and quietly muttered a faint, "Thank you, Mr. Rain."
"You are very welcome, Sarah, now let’s get back to the Tropical Disturbance, okay? You see, Sarah, when the warm moist air condensed it released heat energy. The clouds grow as the air inside them becomes warmer and consequently become Thunderstorms. The winds increase and begin to swirl. The Storms become a Tropical Depression with winds that blow faster than 36 miles per hour. As the winds increase the Depression becomes a Tropical Storm with winds that blow faster than 40 miles per hour. The air pressure in the storm drops and the Thunderstorms move toward the area with the lowest air pressure. They move in a spinning pattern. A lot of air moves out of the top of the storm. Less air moves in at the surface of the Ocean. Consequently, the air pressure keeps dropping causing the winds to blow faster. When the wind speeds reach faster than 75 miles per hour, the storm becomes a Hurricane. Are you with me, Sarah?"
"Oh yes, Mr. Rain, it was so interesting, and yes, I learned much about the conditions that make up a Tropical Depression and then as the winds increase, they form a Tropical Storm. Then as the air pressure drops the winds increase and finally a Hurricane is formed and sets a northerly course."
"Good girl, Sarah, you listened well. Now, Sarah, you have to remember that parts that work together or affect each other, make up a system."
"What is a system, Mr. Rain, and where can systems be found? Does a system have anything to do with our Hurricane?"
​
"Absolutely, Sarah, since the atmosphere and the ocean are two of earth's systems. Together they produce a Hurricane. So, then a Hurricane is a system since they form in the atmosphere and get their energy from the ocean.
And always remember Sarah that the middle of the
Hurricane is an area called the eye of the storm.
The wind in the eye is gentle but don't forget that
once the eye passes over head the storm is not over.
You see, Sarah the other half of the Hurricane has
yet to pass. The deadly part of the storm is isolated
to the area around the eye, where the winds are
super-fast and cause the devastation to coastal areas
in the form of heavy rain flooding and high velocity
wind destruction."
"Gee, Mr. Rain, a Hurricane can be so destructive, of what benefit can this storm contribute to humanity and the equilibrium of a well performing Mother Nature.?"
"Well. Sarah, the Hurricane can be helpful in some ways, for example; reduces the chances of wildfires by Drought relief thus restoring water lost to dry weather in the lakes and rivers, as well as Dam water storage and control. Actually Sarah, the devastation that can be caused by a large Hurricane can be immense as well as very dangerous to human and animal life. Having lived in Florida, Sarah, you and Abby are probably quite familiar and have possibly witnessed some of the alerts and warnings."
"Yes, we have Mr. Rain and it can be scary when the warnings are going on and some evacuation of coastal area occurs."
"Yes, that can be scary, Sarah, but with timely warnings and up to the minute progress of the moving Hurricane, lives can be saved and destruction can be held to a minimum."
"Yes Mr. Rain the warnings are very important thanks to the Weather Service and their ongoing commitment to public safety."
"Yes, the Weather Service, including the Meteorologists, is certainly an important Service when it comes to Weather alerts and timely information. Now, Sarah, we'll have Mr. Grass and Mr. Oak's comments as well as answer some of your questions okay?"
"I am so privileged to have so much attention with my questions about Nature and of course, all the things that occur by simply applying a change of temperature to any given condition and you get some of the most remarkable results. I know that the Hurricane is the results of conditions coming together and just like magic we have a Hurricane or other phenomena or events."
"You know, Sarah," spoke Mr. Grass, "there are events in Nature that are very difficult to see or even believe. The simple Spring budding of a tree, the return of the green lawn, the thawing of Winter snow, the dramatic change of a winter day to the sunshine of a pleasant Spring day and, of course, the fresh vegetables picked from a very special garden."
"Yeah, you're right, Mr. Grass we take all these events for granted but in reality, they are very difficult to explain. For example, why do they happen and why is Nature so well habituated that it performs all these events ensuring the survival of all living creatures including Man."
"Since I was the first one to greet our little Sarah," voiced Mr. Oak, "I should be the one to bid her a good day and wish her the best in her search for enlightenment to the magical world of Nature."
Sarah, looked up at Mr. Oak and turned to face Mr. Grass. Sarah walked slowly on the swaying grass and felt a sprinkle on her nose. It was hard to say good bye but Sarah knew that when she had more questions about Nature, Mr. Rain, Mr. Wind, Mr. Grass and, of course, Mr. Oak would be there to answer her questions. She smiled when she felt the tall grass at her feet, the wind in her hair and then turned to wave at Mr. Oak while little rain drops fell on her nose. Sarah turned toward the patio and saw her Mom smile and whisper softly,
"Isn't Nature wonderful, Sarah?
For my Granddaughter, Sarah.
Grandpa Abeyta. ©
​
​
​
The Nature of Things
and the Balance of its Forces
How important is it to avoid hindering Nature’s role as the architect and guardian of our environment? Well, it is more perilous than man can imagine. The result of a disturbed eco-system will affect its natural balance and create consequential detrimental effects. Man has got to treat Nature and its on-going support for all life as the only means man can count on for the preservation of all living creatures including man. Every minute form of life and its eco-system is vitally important in obtaining the conditions that sustain plant and animal life in its continued existence. How important is the honey bee, the butterfly, the earth worm and the many - many species of insects that inhabit the earth? Well, in line with eventual contributions that reassure the survival of all life, they are all very important or at the very least vitally important to our continued existence in a world of beauty which is made possible by satisfying the ultimate gift from God -‘Nature.’
​
Global . . .Warming? What is it and why would it cause such an extreme change in our life sustaining Environment? Hmmm, I wonder.
​
The Nature of Things II
“Gee Ash, it’s been years since we’ve spoken to Mr. Oak, Mr. Wind, Mr. Grass and Mr. Rain. Do you think they still remember us? I certainly hope so; it’s been such a long time,” questioned David with a concerned look on his face.
​
“I’m sure they do,” replied Ash. Kim nodded, and smiled, “I still remember our little visit when I was in the 2nd grade. It was a very nice visit and really interesting.” Kimmy waved her hands about her face and continued. “I was considered a little Princess of Nature and I have always worked for the preservation of our Environment by understanding the balance of the significant forces that insure our existence. And you know? It’s not only human existence involved but all the living creatures that inhabit the earth.”
​
“Boy, you got that right, Kim and I still remember
Mr. Wind’s visit and his explicit explanation in the
development of Air in motion, which is the Wind. It was
so interesting that I have always been an advocate of the
importance in maintaining the balance of Nature’s forces.
They are unquestionably very important and should be
objectively addressed to maintain their effectiveness.
Anyway that’s my way of thinking.”
​
“You know, David? I vividly remember my visit with
Mr. Rain. It was so enlightening and satisfying that I also
became an advocate for the respect and protection of the
natural functions that insure our long term survival. I sure
learned and am quite aware of the dangers in allowing the
rewards of our environment to be thrown aside by the
promise of great financial gains. We must continue our
monitoring of the eco-system balance and be more aware
of certain species becoming extinct because of poor human monitoring and decision making. Every incident of altering Nature’s tasks for personal gain is one step away from extinction but this time the eventual step of extinction would be mankind. We must change our ways and prioritize our commitment to Nature’s function to provide a world that is capable of, if unopposed, providing a world of beauty and long lasting."
"Especially,” continued Ashley, “we must support the continued monitoring of the Ozone layer or the greenhouse shield that provides us with an environment that we can live with, of which I am strongly behind. Know what I mean?”
​
“Yep,” replied David,” and we must control the gasses that interact and destroy the protective shield or they will eventually become a devastating threat to human survival.”
Kim and Sarah listened intently as if the information and thoughts that they had just heard were something out of a Science Fiction magazine. “Pretty scary,” they muttered.
“I wish people would listen and become vocal about the conditions that are taking place and become more active in supporting Nature’s on-going role in protecting our life support Environment.”
Sarah nodded and whispered, “Kim, I wish they would too.”
​
Abby, looked up and was taken by the thought of human survival, raised a hand and spoke firmly,
“I had quite a conversation with Mr. Oak, Mr. Wind, Mr. Rain and of course Mr. Grass and it was quite a conversation. We discussed Eco-systems and how they functioned in their own little world but quite important to the over-all picture of relative life and survival in our precious habitat - Mother Earth. In our talk of Bugs and Butterflies we included the important role of the insect world and its contribution to all life including, of course, Man."
​
"Of course," Abby continued, "the important requirement of maintaining the balance of Nature was to allow the cycle of insects and their predators function in a natural manner. All insects have a natural predator and consequently they in turn feed on other insects, henceforth becoming a predator themselves. We also determined that not all insects feed on other insects, some feed on vegetation. They were a pain in the neck for farmers trying to raise a decent crop. Sometimes the aphids and mites would cause the Farmer a poor yield until a predator was introduced and helped the farmer tremendously.”
​
Abby looked at Sarah and whispered, “What insect do you suppose, helped the farmer with his crop? Hmmm?”
​
Sarah smiled and clapped her hands, “the ladybug of course! And then according to 'Abby’s Bugs and Butterflies,' Mr. Wind and the others took us through the transformation of a simple caterpillar into a beautiful Butterfly. Wow! That was really keen!”
Sarah excitedly grinned and
continued. “I remember discussing the developing
Hurricane, with Mr. Oak and of course the other of
our Nature experts.” smiled Sarah.
“I did finally understand that most if not all
phenomenal events had an awful lot to do with temperature differences.
These temperature fluctuations would cause the
required condition for the event. And the Hurricane
was no exception.”
​
“Well it seems like all of you have remembered your own little encounter with us, hmmm? Well,” Mr. Wind continued, “we’re here for you and I’m quite sure you all have additional questions that have to be addressed, right? And just like in our previous meeting, you couldn’t see me but you knew I was there by my voice and the swaying of Mr. Grass and Mr. Oak’s branches, right?
​
The children nodded and felt a light rain fall on their faces and shouted in unison, “and Mr. Rain is here too!”
​
“Well,” Mr. Wind said, “we’re all here to answer your many questions and believe us when we relate to you the true conditions of the Earth with respect to Nature. Nature, as you know, has provided a safe haven for all life here on earth. An environment that is, in our immediate knowledge, second to none on any world in our Solar System and beyond the limits of the Galactic Universe.
​
Mr. Wind stated again, "There can be no comparison to the intricate and highly complex systems that function in the Microscopic world, in the human, in the animal and yes, in the Chlorophyll and light mystery of the Plant. One has to wonder at the mystery of the human body and its complex function. Its precise chemical reactions alone are phenomenal in the capacity that they enable a self-contained and self-sustaining human being as well as the other remarkable creations such as animal and plant life."
Mr. Wind, finishing his explanation, emphasized "even water had to have been created by the available essential elements and required conditions. The conditions for every phenomenal event had to be produced and reproduced in a perpetual cycle, either continuance or periodically. Many events would definitely rely on temperature changes which would be consistent with seasonal deviations as well as Global prevailing diverse temperatures. Now we will take some of your questions and clarify any natural phenomena you do not understand or wonder why, okay?”
​
“Yes! Replied Abby, I think I can speak for all of my cousins and sister, we want to know what the term, ‘Global warming' is all about, Mr. Wind? We know that business interests, as well as man has become complacent by his indifferences and the lack of his responsibilities to Mother Nature. I believe that we have become a society of Big Business and worship the Golden Idol. We have migrated, as has become obvious, to a Government of Capitalism leaving our Forefathers' intention of a Government for the people and by the people. "Yes," continued Abby, "into a republic fit only for the rich and famous. Unless we take control of our destiny, we shall become a society of the also-ran, a society that listens and does not tackle our problems with voice and activism.”
​
“Wow, Abby!” Cried Kim “That was some summary of our present Natural and Political status, but now it’s time to get the experts into the picture, huh?”
​
“Yeah, Global warming is a good question. I’ve heard of the term quite often, now I’d like to know the explanation and what has, if it’s true, caused the warming of our Planet?” added David with a nod at Ashley.
​
“Yep,” agreed Ash, “What I’d like to know- if there is something people can do to reverse this global warming scenario as we call it. The effect of the warming has already started to change things, like the Polar Caps thawing that will eventually cause the widespread rising of the oceans coastline levels.”
“Well Children, I am so proud of all of you.
There is so much interest and concern about Nature
and its ongoing job at maintaining an environment
suitable for long term human existence.” held Mr.
Rain with, an emotional twist in his voice, “now we’ll
hear from Mr. Oak.”
​
“Yes Children,” began Mr. Oak, “Global warming is a definite result of not only the eventual cosmic evolution of the earth’s natural cycle of existence but by the accelerated warming of the earth by the human abuse in the mishandling of the life sustaining gift from Nature. But since it is a result of our planet’s natural evolution and mishandling we will have to consider the normal function of Nature. So we’ll hear from Mr. Wind to take us back to square one. I think you all remember the conditions that transpired to cause a given event. Remember?”
​
“Hi Mr. Wind!” “Well hi to you and I am also pleased that you haven’t forgotten our previous visits,” replied Mr. Wind and made an entrance by the swaying of Mr. Oaks branches. “Well just like Mr. Oak said we’ll talk about the normal function and then gradually come up to the reasons and significant changes that would cause an overall earth temperature increase.
So we are going to back off a little with Global warming and begin with a little refresher on temperature differences and how they affect phenomenal events in Nature.” continued Mr. Wind. “We’ll start with Ashley’s little cloud that cried, okay?” Ashley smiled and felt very good at the recollection of ‘The Little Cloud that Cried.”
​
“Yes, how well I remember even though I was just a little girl. I have to admit,” smiled Ash and pointed up into the sky, “it was so sad to see the little cloud rise higher and higher until the temperature was right for additional condensation and the tiny rain drops becoming larger until they were too heavy to float so they fell and came down as our precious rain.”
​
“Yep, I hear you,” added David, “it’s amazing what a temperature difference can do. You know it?” Kim turned and faced David, “Yeah, just like the warm air rising and cooler air in a brash movement replaces the rising air. Remember the development of the Wind, David?” David smiled and replied, “oh yeah, Kim, it was wonderful to talk to Mr. Wind and now to be in their presence.” David smiled and pointed at Kim, “and how about the moisture collecting on the grass and other plants due to temperature differences between the cooler night temperatures on ground plants and the warm moist air or water vapor condensing that consequently produces the morning dew, huh?”
​
Kim smiled and nodded, “Yep, it was really great to talk to Mr. Grass! He explained everything that transpired in the conditions that produced the morning dew phenomena.”
“You know, I’m beginning to see the temperature differences and the event they nurture,” added Sarah, with a very enthusiastic look. “Because when I talked to Mr. Wind and the other of our Nature friends about the Hurricane and how it developed, temperature had a lot to do with it.”
​
“Yes Sarah, added Mr. Wind, “the massive rising of the warm moist air from the tropical warm waters produces a low pressure that draws the cooler air, thereby, replacing the rising warm moist air or water vapor. The winds will always blow toward a Low Pressure which is essential in replacing the massive rising of the warm moist air or water vapor that contributes to the developing Tropical disturbances that are the pre-conditions in the development of the eventual Hurricane. These conditions also produce heavy clouds and spiraling winds that frequently spawn tornadoes and quite extreme weather. The increased massive rising moist air or water vapor due to the additional global temperature increase in tropical waters, would produce extreme weather; like more violent winds and extreme rainfall and, of course, more severe coastal and inland destruction.”
​
The children listened intently and with much interest to the preliminary conditions that would eventually cause catastrophic events initiated by the unnatural changes of the human induced alterations of Nature’s forces.
"One key barrier,” continued Mr. Wind, “and quite essential to our survival is the ozone layer or the shield in the stratosphere that provides for our greenhouse effect. But the breaking down of oxygen molecules by the ultraviolet radiation from the sun is a chemical reaction that actually produces ozone that provides a necessary system for the existence of life. Even though we have many events in Nature that are vitally important to our existence and to our future survival, the ozone layer is definitely in the hands of humanity and its respect for mother nature. The electromagnetic shield that originated and scientifically explained as a resultant of a spinning earth, has transformed the earth into a giant magnet with its resulting magnetic poles as well as an oasis, if you will, of a life support shield refracting the harmful radiations from the sun. It’s almost unbelievable and very difficult to understand the conditions and perpetual activities that produce a precise and the perfect environment for the existence of all aspects of life.
​
"But,” as Mr. Rain and Mr. Wind continued in their assessment of the earth’s ozone Layer, “the ozone produced by the breaking down of oxygen Molecules is not enough to replace the ozone destroyed by the human gasses such as fluorocarbons and man-made chemicals causing the rate of depletion of the
ozone Layer greater than its rate of formation."
​
Mr. Rain began, “Since the ozone layer
blocks, for the most part, ultraviolet radiation
which would cause a heating effect as well as
make the earth unfit for human existence. Any
depletion of the ozone layer due to human’s
irresponsible use of fluorocarbons and ozone
depleting chemicals would be a contributing
factor to global warming.”
​
“Wow Mr. Rain, Mr. Wind, Mr. Grass and Mr. Oak!” exclaimed Ashley, “it’s really kind of scary! The idea that as inhabitants of Mother Earth we can’t take care of our home, our habitat, and our God-given responsibility of insuring a life environment for years to come, well,” continued a concerned Ashley, “it certainly has to be a crime against humanity!"
“And we are guilty,” added David, “conditions for life and its survival was given by a sound methodical plan for life to all segments of the subsequent species. And man with a highly-intelligent brain was given the responsibility to care for and to determine by earth’s history the strategy for an essential solution to the unfavorable conditions caused by the evolution changes to Earth’s prolonged existence and, of course, to man’s ill-contribution.”
The group demonstrating a negative reaction exclaimed “we can’t let that happen, there has to be a way to turn global warming around and we have to make it happen!” voiced Kim with a very firm and determined expression.
“We have to educate the generations especially the younger generation that seems to be more receptive to change and aggressive ideas. Don’t you think so, Mr. Grass?”
Mr. Grass swaying in the prevailing Mr. Wind, “You know Kim, there is a way to promote more interest in the concept of Global warming and that would be by a definite reminder that we are witnessing hotter summers, erratic weather and temperatures, and of course the onset of more severe and frequent storms."
"We can,” continued Mr. Rain, “and we will witness, because of the diminishing polar caps and extreme alteration of the Jet Stream which has a tremendous effect on weather and its east and west progression with a resultant positioning of the high and low pressure areas thereby, initiating unusual weather patterns. And you guessed it, Kim! Temperature differences that are altered by unnatural warming of the planet, which is evident by more drought and extremely dry conditions to some parts of the country.
The potential increase of Forest and grass fires with extremely dry conditions will become the norm on some parts of the country. The most devastating conditions that will occur to the final throes of our blue planet are the diminishing of our Arctic Polar caps which will cause not only coastal inundation by the rising oceans
but the agricultural effect of the
world food supply."
"This economic disaster will increase
hunger worldwide and the climate change
will cause detrimental effects to health and to
the future of civilization. That is the bad news,
children, but the good news is that we can
prolong the eminent trend by as much as
thousands of years if we adhere to and act
positively to the ongoing conditions.”
​
“Mr. Grass,” asked Abby, “what can we do now? Isn’t it too late to do anything? What can we possibly do now? Global warming has already taken hold and we are at the mercy of the declining life’s precious environment. It seems to me that the majority part of humanity is not with us on saving our planet.”
​
“Yeah,” muttered Sarah with a look of frustration, “I truly believe that the majority of the people realize and believe that saving our planet is of the utmost importance. However, even if global warming will eventually kill people, so will the lack of necessary nourishment and their vital need for medical coverage."
"Also,” continued Sarah, “corporations and Industry including automakers, though definitely essential to a healthy economy, produce ozone depleting gasses and chemicals and then indiscriminately invoke a state of ignorance in their apathetic denial to the obvious. I guess money has no conscience, huh?”
​
Mr. Oak, feeling quite proud at the Children’s concern, swayed his great branches in the grasp of Mr. Wind. His leaves glistened in Mr. Rain’s light shower as well as Mr. Grass, in the grasp of the wind and rain, became a beautiful sea with waves of green.
​
“It sure seems that way doesn’t it, Sarah? Since we have answered most of your questions, Children, we do want you to understand that the only way to turn the inevitable around is to spread the word of the earth’s problems. We know that eventually the earth will succumb to its natural change in the realm of an aging planet and end its ability to support life. But children you have to realize that the earth is millions of years old and even though man hasn’t been here very long with respect to the earth’s age, earth conditions evolved and became a sanctuary for man’s inception but only after millions of years and certainly in God’s time and place.”
​
Mr. Rain began with his summary of Global Warming. “Thank you, Mr. Oak, beautifully put. And yes Children, we can change or slow down the eventual state of a dying planet. First we have to realize that even though the symptoms of global warming has been witnessed in the last few years, the earth even if the depletion of the Ozone layer is not restored to its original state, life on this planet will continue on for years to come. The restoring of the Ozone layer to a more acceptable state will definitely add to its prolonged existence. But because of the loss of most of the Artic caps, weather would certainly become extreme and the patterns across the globe would drastically change. Yes, children, the perfect environment that we have known, would never be the same."
"Atmosphere and environmental changes would constitute or require the adaptation of all species. But evolution and its consequential development is possible only with unlimited time and gradual in-time changes. And honestly, children, I don’t see the unlimited time and so I honestly believe that we have regrettably arrived at the last throes of Mother Nature. However, we can prolong the inevitable but only if we act now and commit our efforts to maintaining and protecting our God-given environment.”
​
Mr. Grass, with the weather changing and obvious monsoon conditions because of the massive amounts of warm water vapor rising initiating more severe storms and heavier rains, what does that mean to agriculture, health and the world economy?”
“Well Mr. Rain, that was quite a dissertation but definitely true. It may open many eyes and sadly close many as well but the effect of massive warm water vapor creating not only Tropical Disturbances but severe Disturbances with the massive rainfall and severe winds and destructive Storms including Hurricanes and Tornadoes. The effects of Global Warming would also cause weather pattern changes which would affect Agriculture by heavy rains and increased locations of dry and drought conditions."
"These changes would affect the Economy and because of an increase in harmful radiation, Health conditions as well. World hunger would increase due to the uncertainty of food supply and its production. It’s really quite sad to look at the perfect or as perfect as it can be, Planet Earth and how after a remarkable existence look at consequential changes that would eventually make it uninhabitable. Even though after eon years the evolution of the Earth would have eventually gone through its life phase and on into its latent time of existence, it is certainly a wakeup call to preserve and prolong the gift of life’s natural habitat.”
​
Man must realize that Global warming if not reversed, will in time become a tool of extinction and that extinction will be the gift of Life - including Man’s.
​
Ashley, David, Kim, Abby and Sarah shook their heads and whispered almost in unison, “This is one fight we can’t afford to lose!” The Children looked perceptively about the country side and waved at Mr. Oak, Mr. Wind and Mr. Grass while, enthusiastically, welcoming a light sprinkle of Mr. Rain.
​
“Goodbye, children!”’ They whispered. “Support the balance of Nature and we’ll always be here for you.”
Written by Grandpa Abe C Abeyta.
For my Grandchildren, Ashley, David, Kim, Abby and Sarah.
‘The Nature of Things II’ narrative is the seventh and final of the series ‘Nature of things, that were written for my grandchildren.’
The Virus of ‘2019’
Chapter One
It wasn’t unlike the Pandemic of 1918, or the Spanish Flu as it was called, for the human toll was remarkably similar. Even considering that medical technology since then, had greatly improved and treatment to the complications of infection by antibiotics was available, the unique characteristics of the invading Coronavirus with its ability of fast spreading, host cell invading and its replicating capabilities made it difficult to contain and was somewhat resistant to treatment. The late advisory and delayed preparation to the invading virus would be devastating to human life including first responders and medical personnel.
However, with proper scientific medical principles and common sense, hygienic and distancing seemed to limit some of the fast spreading virus. With the premise, of course, that if there is no host available the virus has nowhere to go. Since the virus is a parasite, it needs a human host, and since the human became the source of spreading the virus, the only recourse was symptomatic treatment, distancing and isolation with the hope of an eventual effective vaccine. Of course, there was also the hope that the virus was seasonal and that it would eventually recede after the weather became warmer. It would still, though, remain a human ongoing threat as a Global Plague.
​
Observing the cities slowing down with local business interests down to almost a standstill was mind-boggling. It was weird just looking at the empty streets and the empty walks that were normally overfilled with customers, or just individuals out for lunch, or a quick shopping excursion. To see a large progressive city suddenly become, or have the appearance of, a ghost town was, in reality, an awakening. The reality of understanding how fragile life was, and is, was an emotional and a difficult acceptance. Just to see the deserted streets and walks were, in some sense, a preview of what humanity always dreaded, "the end of time." Certainly, the essence of our existence was being threatened by this new virus targeting the vital organs of the victim’s body, and for some, a subsequent death.
​
In recalling passages of the plagues mentioned in the Bible, the Pestilences of the Middle ages, the Bubonic Plague, and the 20th century Spanish Flu, one could only wonder at the reason for the threat on human life. Could it be the abuse of our God-given natural world essential to our existence? Or maybe, just maybe, it was a spiritual punishment for the immoralities and corruptive activities being practiced by humanity?
Somehow, the existing conditions and the extremely deadly effect of the virus seemed to almost parallel the circumstances portraying the biblical account of Sodom and Gomorrah. It seemed to me that the plague would be just as effective as fire and brimstone. However, the fall of Sodom and Gomorrah was a well-known manifestation of Divine retribution. Yet, we question the occurrences of the plagues, somehow attributing this occurrence as an Awakening. And just maybe, this is Nature’s way in reaching a limit of frustration for the way man has abused Nature and its benefit to humanity.
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The public, irresponsibly, seemed to become wary of the existing conditions and adamantly preferred their normal way of life at any cost. They became reluctant to medical suggestions and became political pawns for the demagogues. The gathering of large crowds, against medical and pandemic advice appeared to be a form of insurgence to the divisive crowds. Beaches were overwhelmed, which was definitely against close congregating, spacing and mask-wearing medical suggestions. Business openings, full or partial, seemed to have been a disaster for positive cases per day exceeding an unimagined amount and the death rate from this Coronavirus was well above 150,000 people.
Somehow, the business and school openings in
this country seemed to be more important than
human life. And so, we go on into the
uncertainties of life and accept our world of
Nature and its predators that so govern our
longevity and presence on a not-too-friendly
Earth. It remains the law of Nature and we as
the human element are, and have been,
responsible for the balance of its organic
presence in this intricate and vigorous existence.
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It's sad to say that the virus has been found to be transferred by body contact, or droplets from sneezing and coughing, which is a direct route to the virus’s mode of contamination and spreading. Now, there is even a greater scare, for the medical experts of the ensuing Pandemic have come up with the unconfirmed possibility that it can spread in the existing air. Its airborne capabilities have tried to make facemasks an essential part of protection, to prevent spreading. Commutation of the virus should have been a concern and I’m sure it was. Because the virus, itself, is governed by a desire to exist and its only avenue is the human factor, since man contains the most essential and multiple organs to satisfy its required replication.
Somehow, I have come to the conclusion that man has not governed or maintained his responsible role in the world of Nature. He has abused his God-given gift of the natural world. The world that ushered his beginning into a beautiful and wonderful environment that, certainly, added a remarkable touch to his five senses in his given existence.
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The gradual onset of global warming, though a great concern for many years as a definite threat to life’s environment, was largely neglected. Of course, we know that in the beginning, man was largely dependent on fire for his convenience for warmth. It was, of course, vital to his survival. Fire was not only a convenience, but a necessity, since the burning of fuel also provided a reprieve from darkness. It was extraordinary how man, while being isolated to daytime activities, was remarkably liberated by utilizing artificial light during nighttime activities.
Yes, the controlled burning of fuel was the gateway to economic and technological advancements that certainly increased the conveniences of the average individual’s comfort and financial status. However, it also had an inverse effect by introducing emissions of hydrocarbon contaminants into the atmosphere and its destructive effect to the ozone layer. As a shield, it provided a vital role by blocking most of the ultraviolet radiation from reaching Earth. It may not seem like a very important function, but it does maintain an average temperature on the planet that is essential and suitable for the existence of life including man.
The obvious neglect causing the occurrence of global warming has taken its toll in normal weather patterns, as well as the thawing of the Arctic ice caps. Certainly, with the unpredictable events - such as drought - with more frequent wildfires, record-breaking temperatures throughout the globe, and the intensity of the rainstorms and tropical disturbances, there can be no doubt that global warming was and is an issue that has to be addressed. Of course, the Coronavirus in its Pandemic status has brought man to a standstill, and must submit to this vicious human predator. In light of the onset of the global warming scenario, one has to wonder if these circumstances have created conditions that would allow the virus to go unscathed in its overwhelming rampage in spreading and devastating its unsuspecting human host.
Certainly, with rash realization of the age of planet Earth with respect to its position in the solar system along with its past history of numerous calamities within the span of its existence, are definite suggestive signs regarding the uncertain expectations of man’s long-term survival. Finally, we reluctantly submit to the expected impact of Earth’s final throes in its natural cycle in a determined evolution to a planet’s time - changing cycle in the universe.
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Somehow, one must look at man’s advent to a remotely-positioned planet as either an accident in the vast environmental changing worlds of the universe or simply a plan of divine creation. For one can also include divinity in the brain’s responsiveness to the human spirit’s ultra-search for knowledge, a suitable environment along with self-preservation within its instinctive mode of survival.
Since I am a firm believer of scientific progress and its consequential developments in their benefit to man, I do believe that ignoring the balance of Nature’s forces is a mistake. We must conclude, and wholeheartedly pray, that this ultimate state of ignorance will not be the cause or the reason for man’s extinction.
Chapter Two
There were incidents of mass protests taking place, even in the presence of a rapidly-spreading plague that was making its destructive appearance to man and the country. Somehow, the importance of controlling the plague was secondary to the ego of some high-level lawmakers and concern for the welfare of the people was not there. Wearing a mask as well, as mass testing, was essential to the ultimate control of the virus. However, because it was an obstacle to a wide-open economy, it was overruled by the President and his henchmen. Political partisanship in an election year was the name of the game, even if it meant a choice between life and death. Businesses were prodded to reopen. Placing people back to work seemed to be of the essence for restoring an acceptable economy. However, with the massive number of unemployment applications and lack of subsistence to the needs of the American people, hunger , as well as home and apartment evictions would be the resultant present state of the Union.
The reluctance of the Senate to approve a virus relief bill that would assist the American people with their plight of evictions and foreclosures including daily necessities, would continue with absolutely no concern by its Republican Senate majority. Somehow, this state of gridlock seemed to be un-American, since the Senate Majority leader refused to act on the House of Representatives virus relief bill, which was passed easily by the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives. The refusal of acting on the bill by the Senate was definitely an, "I don’t care" insurgence, especially when the Republican Senate Majority approved a scheduled recess without acting on the bill that had been passed three months before by the House. This act of disregard placed the legislative body in a state of failing the American people.
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There were insults and false inferences from the President, used freely to influence his followers and his hardcore, and sometimes violent, base. At times, one must conclude, the atmosphere to a Presidential election has, and will always be, insulting with lucrative promises that can’t be kept, as well as frustration on the poll- trailing candidate by inciting acts of desperation, brought on by the fear of losing the election. That was politics, though, and it was alive and well in our country. More importantly, the campaigning, at least on the President's side, took on an obvious withdrawal from the truth and facts in continued insults and false accusations aimed at his rival candidate, which was certainly devastating to the lawmaker's professional ethics. There seemed to be little concern for the truth and constitutional law, as well as an apparent increase in the President's rhetoric of inciting violence and his followers buying the scenario, even to the extent of displaying their weapons. This certainly did not correspond to a democratic republic’s set of governing decrees, which were initially established in the Constitution of the United States.
I can almost see the disappointed faces of the founding fathers as they ponder the words – “by the people and for the people,” as Benjamin Franklin is asked, “what have you wrought?” And he answers with deep emotion, “. . . a republic, if you can keep it.”
‘This content is simply my thoughts in the uncertain conditions we are encountering with little or no effort in its reparation.’
Abe C Abeyta © October, 2020
