The Big Wind

This has been a tough week for me physically. 95% of the time I love living here on the floor of the Gorge at the narrowest part of the lower Columbia River (called "the Chute"), which has a micro-climate all its own. However, when the seasons are changing, sometimes a high air pressure system develops at one end of the Gorge and a low at the other end.

When that happens, very strong winds rush through the steep and narrow valley, creating turbulence and extreme air pressure fluctuations. It also blows in a bunch of air-borne stuff ... dirt, dust, pollen, and who knows what else. This can and does go on for days at a time. My eyes have been swollen and itchy all week. Sunday through Tuesday I felt headachy, and when the winds first began, sick to my stomach for a brief period. Now I'm feeling a bit weak and generally out of sorts. My body seems to be a bit "inflamed".

We had a brief respite from the winds on Wednesday, although there seemed to be an inversion effect going on that kept a haze or smog lurking about. Now the wind has resumed, and the inside of my nose has that burning sensation again. I love hearing the new alto windchimes I bought in September, but I don't love feeling off-kilter like this. Fortunately, we got some rain this morning, which has helped a lot.

Then on to winter. I'm ready. I'm ready in so many ways to move out of this odd time of instability mixed with inertia. Although with that Saturn-Uranus opposition around for another year or so, maybe we'd better get used to it. Change is in the air, literally and figuratively.

Comments

[Nick]

I hope you're feeling better, or if not quite yet, then soon. Allergies really suck. :(

[Kitty]

Thanks, Nick. I'm getting there. In the meantime, I've been using the time to do some "cocooning", being quiet and getting in touch with myself, listening to music and reading books. And writing, too, since it's NaNo time now.