It hasn't rained, seriously rained, here in weeks. Our water tanks are drying up. As I think I've blogged before, one of the local beliefs or traditions is that when things are dry, they should burn the wildgrass, as the smoke goes up and convinces the sky to rain. IT's also a great time to burn grass in preparation for planting a garden.
What happens when it is dry, is that the dirt roads give off more dust.... there is always smoke in the air, and depending on how big and nearby the fires are, there are bits of black ash falling from the sky around you.
If you've ever approached Los Angeles from above, you see the hazy smog that covers it, and yet, when you're down in it, you don't see the smog.
The smoke and dust and ash is so thick here today, that you see it. You're aware that you're breathing it in.
As a result, the clinic tries to keep a lot of inhalers on hand.
But when the rain comes..... (hopefully it will soon).... the air smells clean, all the dust is washed off of the slowly dying greenery, the roads aren't dusty, the gravel sinks back in, and our tanks fill up.
When the rain comes, you realize that you can't speak to someone next to you as the noise from the metal roof is so loud.
