It made for a few moments of cognitive dissonance.
My Wednesday Vignette this morning is actually a series of vignettes -- of leaves in my garden sprinkled with ash.
 |
| Monstera deliciosa |
 |
| Tuberous Begonia |
 |
| Tetrapanax 'Steroidal Giant' |
 |
| Catalpa bignoniodes 'Aurea' |
 |
| Hydrangea quercifolia |
 |
| Geranium phaeum 'Samobor' |
Even though I gave my post today a humorous title, this has been a disturbing summer -- so much hotter than normal and smoky from so many wildfires. Not near enough to threaten my life or home, but close enough to fill the air off and on for days and sometimes weeks, aggravating my asthma. There has been a wildfire ongoing for a few weeks now on Norse Peak, which is only about 50 miles from me according to the roads on Google Maps. They've evacuated Crystal Mountain resort, which is west of that, but the north flank of Mt. Rainier is between us and that fire, so I'm not too worried. I still don't think I have it as bad as my friends down in Portland, who are dealing with even more ash, not to mention fires raging in the Columbia Gorge that are much closer to home, and that might, by the time this post is published, have engulfed the historic Multnomah Falls Lodge. See this link.
The entire West Coast of North America has been plagued by wildfires all summer, from California, through Oregon to Washington and on into British Columbia. See a U.S. Wildfire Activity Public Information Map here.
Wildfires don't just destroy homes and wildlife habitat, they also release carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere, while destroying huge swathes of the very plants -- trees -- that are ideally suited to clearing the carbon dioxide.
The phrase "Save the Planet" of course is a misnomer. The planet doesn't need saving. Earth will continue for a long time, perhaps as a twin to the toxic planet Venus. Once that happens, the planet will finally succeed at ridding itself of its most destructive parasite.
Us.
Anna at Flutter & Hum hosts Wednesday Vignette. Check out her post here.