July 16, 1981 - A Thunderstorm BuildsJuly 16, 1981 Tbt Ou f f oik Ti nits rage 17
A Thunderstorm Builds
We're watching and listening to a
thunderstorm build up. We've just finished
supper and it has been hot and sticky all
day. The sun is still out but not in its usual
brilliance, more of an orange haze. All day
the heat pressed down and the humidity
seemed to stagger everything. Thunder
rolled and the dog got up from his slumber
and walked around the house to the other
porch and looked in, seeming to know
something was coming our way. There
was an air of apprehension about.
By the time I'd picked up my pad and
pen and gotten outside to write at our
picnic table, flashes of light could be seen.
It was still quite bright out and not yet 6
o'clock. The flashes were like strobe
flashes from far away, white and quick.
Could it be this rumbling and darkness to
the north would be just another passing
thunderstorm traveling up the Sound or
would we get some much - needed rain? The
grasses with their tassels of seed in the
pasture have all turned to a golden brown
and the forty acres or more of rye to the
north spread out like a field of grain you'd
expect to see out west. It contrasted with
the dark sky of the coming storm.
Now the thunder picks up in tempo and
moves to the east. The air is still and
muggy. Barn swallows still work high
above, picking up their dinner on the wing.
How they sweep and dip! A slight breeze
from the west comes up but soon dies.
More flashes in the distance and the
rumblings of thunder seem to engulf me. A
feeble rain drop hits the table and stains
the weathered wood black. Will more
come?
Lightning Against the Blackened Sky
To the north I see, for the first time, the
familiar jagged line of lightning against
the blackened sky. I wait and soon thunder
follows. It's still a long way off, probably
over the Sound. The trees down by the
pasture seem to sense the closeness and
start to stir. More raindrops. I feel them on
my naked back. The dog at my feet gets up
and looks at me as if to say, "Let's go. It's
starting to rain." I can see the raindrops
against the now - darkened foliage of the
trees below. Will it come?
The drops smear my writing. I'll have to
move. I head out into the garden where
there's an old tool shed. I'll wait it out
there. Still no rain of any consequence. A
few big drops straight down and more
thunder. The horses in the pasture seem to
slow their tail twitchings. Perhaps the flies
have taken shelter. How Dusty and
Shadow would welcome a cool rain on their
backs.
We must be on the edge of the storm for
off to the south I can see a tint of blue in the
sky. Yet great boomings of heat thunder
roll all about with their intermittent
flashes. The sprinkles are over. Still the
thunder rolls about us. A cabbage butterfly
hurries from one plant to another and then
ducks under the huge leaves of our squash
plants. Does it know something we don't?
Now it starts to rain again. This time the
drops are larger and there are more of
them. I can hear them beating on the old
wooden shingles above. It's really coming
down now. The air has taken on a new
coolness. A great fork of lightning takes
over the sky to the south. No longer is there
any blue. Just torrents of rain now! The
cool mist from the downpour sweeps in the
open doorway and I feel my legs and back
being brushed by it.
Sheets of Rain and Gale Winds
Everything outside is misty with sheets
of rain taking possession of my world. How
it's pouring! Slowly the roof starts to drip -
- now it runs. It was held back by the
dryness of the roof but now it comes in a
heavy stream off its edge. A gale wind
comes up and the rain gets thrown about.
Instead of coming down straight as it was,
it comes"in slanted waves. I move to get
out of the misty spray that comes through
the open doorway. Another flash and a
crack nearby. I can hardly see across the
pasture. An eery whiteness has taken over.
Rain and wind! It's wild out there! The
yellow lilies all along the pasture fence
bow before the fierceness. The wind shifts
and moves to another quarter. The trees
sway under the heavy rain and wind. A
crack of thunder nearby jars me. Slowly a
brightness seems to be taking over. Oh, if
it would only keep raining like this. The
horses have come out from under the trees
down by the pond. The purple clematis
that hangs in the doorway is dimpled with
raindrops. How gorgeous it is!
Now a new noise hits the roof. Hail has
been added to the turbulence and a new
coolness makes me shiver a bit. No longer
do we have the hot muggy air of a few
minutes ago. I see the hailstones bouncing
on the ground. I'm sure the temperature
has dropped 15 degrees and the rain and
hail still pour down -- great long streaks of
rain. Now the wind has died off. Another
clap of thunder! My writing becomes more
erratic. I'm actually chilly standing here
in my shorts.
The picnic table and chairs with the
empty hammock behind look out of place
in the wind and rain that batter everything
about. The wind seems to slow down again
and the steady rain becomes less and less.
The white haze of the downpour has left. A
new brightness seems to be taking over. A
half shadow follows my hand across the
paper as I write.Still the thunder of Henry
RAINDROPS -- "Each blade of grass, each upright leaf will wear its
jewels tonight! " Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
Hudson plays all around me. My skin is
cool and refreshed. No longer do the trees
move and sway in the fierce wind and rain.
A steady rain is falling now. I think the
storm is passed.
It's almost over and the dripping from
the roof becomes the only sound with an
occasional roll of thunder far off telling me
that it has gone to another place. Birds
start to fly. The horses are out in the
pasture again twitching their tails. They
will not need to drink tonight as their water
will be gathered while eating. Each blade
of grass, each upright leaf will wear a
string of jewels tonight. The earth has
been refreshed. Our thunderstorm has
passed.
central 11111 olk iiospi al
PAULSTOUTENBURGH
1300 roanoke avenue, riverhead, new york 11901 (516) 369 -6000
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE COMMUNITY
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members
of our community for their support during the recent labor dispute
with Teamsters Local 803.
During the 3 days of the strike, we were overwhelmed with
offers from the community to help in any way possible. Senior
citizens, housewives, students, and medical professionals walked
into the building offering to feed or transport patients, act as
messengers, run errands, and deliver patient care.
With our inpatient census at capacity and our Emergency Room
in the midst of the busiest weekend in our history, regular employees
with the help of these temporary employees and volunteers met the
challenge and continued the delivery of health care to the community.
At the start of each shift during the strike, an inspector from
the New York State Department of Health toured the building to insure
that each patient was being properly cared for. Like myself, they
were impressed by the high level of care being delivered by those
employees who chose to work.
During a strike such as the one we just experienced, everyone
is expected to stand and be counted. I am proud to be a member of a
community that stood with us and our commitment to the progress of
health care in our service area.
Speaking personally and on behalf of our Board of Directors
and patients - Thank you.
ROBERT F. ECROYD,
Executive Vice President
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