Tasmanian Wind

The weather here today was such that the windows of the house just had to be open. Sunshine, upper seventies, gentle breeze - just beautiful.

Around mid afternoon that gentle breeze increased to a gale force wind.

The change started with a distant moan that grew to an approaching howl. The sound came not in a head-on rush but shifted back and forth as though the wind carrying it was bouncing between obstacles.

I pictured the Tasmanian Devil from the Looney Tunes cartoons. A whirling tornado bouncing around like the ball in a pinball machine.

And then the gale reached our doorstep. Screens rattled in the open windows, curtains stood out nearly parallel to the floor, and anything weighing less than an infant was blown to the floor.

Thank goodness I had eaten a hardy meal earlier. I remained anchored in my chair as the wind sought exit on the opposite side of the house.