2012 Drought

One could say my head hit the pillow late last night.  One could say my head hit the pillow early this morning.  The last I remember my computer screen showed 12:30.  My brain had gotten itself tangled in word games, and then I couldn't fall asleep.  Miserable night.  At first I blamed the computer games but then come to find out last night was Full Moon.

Another sunny morning here, clear skies, still no rain.  Corn fields are drying and now look like they usually do in October when they dry naturally for the season.  Fish are dying from a lack of oxygen in the near-90-degree rivers, stream beds are narrowing  and drying to trickles, livestock producers are having to downsize their herds because of lack of feed, and the lawns are brown and crunchy underfoot.

We're being told to expect higher food prices in 2013.  Grocery shopping already requires wise decision-making and a calculator.  Beware of glitches in food pricing and overcharging.  Many food items are marked on the shelf at a sale price, but are scanned at the checkout for a higher price.  Every penny counts on both ends of the stick.

Maybe it's time we say a prayer of thanksgiving to Mother Earth for all She does for us.  We take Her so for granted.  All living things that cannot help themselves are suffering because of the lack of rain.  It's sad, and it's serious.  

Iroquois Prayer

We return thanks to our Mother, the Earth,

which sustains us.

We return thanks to the rivers and streams,

which supply us with water and fishes.

We return thanks to all herbs,

which furnish medicines for the cure of our diseases.

We return thanks to the moon and stars,

which have given to us their light when the sun was gone.

We return thanks to the sun,

that has looked upon the Earth with a beneficent eye.

Lastly, we return thanks to Our Creator,

in Whom is embodied all goodness,

and Who directs all things for the good of His children.