Autumnal Equinox 2016

Istijlál (Majesty), 16 ‘Izzat (Might), 173 BE - Thursday, September 22, 2016 AD about 12:16 Pacific Daylight Time 

In Las Vegas the wind is blowing 

Carrying litter 

Up and down the city's streets and avenues 

And depositing it into drainage inlets 

Blocking them and  preventing rainwater 

From draining into the flood control systems 

Potentially causing flooded roadways. 

I know this is a problem in every large city and small town across the nation. People throw their trash out car windows without thinking of the consequences of their actions. Maybe they think that the city's street sweeping equipment will pick up the litter before the next rain, but that isn't always true. The street sweeping machine usually passes through a neighborhood once a week, but it could rain before the machine passes or the litter could be too large for the machine to handle. If the litter is too large for the city equipment then other removal means are necessary. Sometimes a city can't pay for the other means or it rains before the scheduled time. 

I don't know if this entry will cause people to think about the consequences of throwing trash out the window of their cars. I suspect the people who do that won't think this entry applies to them (if they read the entry). 

Midweek Reflections on Autumn

'Idal (Justice), 9 ‘Izzat (Might), 172 BE - Wednesday, September 16, 2015 about 1:35 PM Pacific Daylight Time

The Autumnal Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere occurs on September 23 at 08:20 UTC; this is 1:22 AM PDT. At this time, the sun is shining directly on the equator which makes days and nights almost equal. After this the days get noticeably shorter and the nights longer.

Autumnal Equinox
time to begin preparations
for long and cold winter nights.

Of course, the temperature begins cooling down before the fall equinox. Instead of triple digit temperatures we experience double digit temperatures. This means I need to find my winter sweaters and sweat shirts. I know I will need them at night because I don't have any heavy blankets. Of course, it doesn't get cold enough here in Las Vegas for electric blankets; at least it hasn't in the past. I don't know how cold it will get this year.

I always look forward to fall because I can turn the cool air off without having to turn the warm air on. Right now, I'm planning on turning the unit off on September 30, but I could make it later if it looks like we might experience some out-of-season triple digit temperatures. Considering some of the weird weather we've had lately it wouldn't surprise me. Nor would it surprise me if we hit single digit temperatures early.

On a Windy Sunday in September

Jamál (Beauty), 15 ‘Izzat (Might), 170 BE - Sunday, September 22, 2013 about 6:47 AM Pacific Daylight Time

The wind is blowing between at 15 to 20 mph. I do not know how fast it is blowing, but I know it is fast enough to slam the patio door and make the limbs of the oleanders move. Since the dead limb on the pine tree, in the front yard, was cut off last week I do not have to worry about it falling across the drive way.

oleander limbs
waving in the morning wind
a new week begins

I did not turn turn the television on this morning. I checked the weather.com for the information on wind speeds. According to the information on that website, the UV index in Las Vegas is "very high" and the humidity is 32 percent. As I look out my living room window, I can see that the sky is partly cloudy, but I have to go back to the website to find the temperature. Right now the temperature is a nice 64 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sunday wind and clouds
a nice day in Las Vegas
autumn temperatures

I think the autumnal equinox occurs about 1:44 pm local time. This morning, when I went outside pick up the newspaper, it felt like fall. It is time for me to start hot coffee instead of iced. The temperatures are becoming cooler, so I need a hot beverage to warm me up in the morning. I plan on finishing off the iced coffee today and washing the ice cube trays I use to make my coffee ice.

Midweek Reflictions on Autumn

‘Idál (Justice), 11 ‘Izzat (Might), 170 BE - Wednesday, September 18, 2013 about 11:35 AM Pacific Daylight Time

The Autumnal Equinox occurs on Saturday, September 22, 2013 at 4:44 PM Eastern Daylight Time, which is 1:44 PM Pacific Daylight Time. According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, this is the time the sun crosses the celestial equator. Equinox is a Latin word meaning "equal night".

Autumnal Equinox
brings cooler days and memories
of my childhood.

When I was a child, I always looked forward to the first day of fall. The days became cooler and we began harvesting Grandpa's garden. This mean digging potatoes and picking all sorts of homegrown vegetables. Grandma would can the vegetables and Grandpa would put the potatoes in the root cellar or storm cellar.

Digging potaotoes
anticipating a crunchy reward
childhood memories.

Once the potatoes were all dug, Grandpa would cut one or two so that we could eat a raw potato with salt and pepper. I can still remember the way the potato crunched when I chewed it and how it tasted in my mouth. I probably was not crazy about digging the potatoes, but now those memories are precious because of the time spent with my Grandparents.

Autumnal Equinox 2009

Fidál (Grace), 15 ‘Izzat (Might), 166 BE – Tuesday, September 22, 2009 about 5:52 AM Pacific Time

Today the sun cross the celestial equator at 5:18 PM EDT, which is 2:18 PM PDT. After the sun crosses the equator it begins to move southwest (at least in the northern hemisphere). On the first day of autumn day and night is of equal length.

I miss autumn in Oklahoma. The change in season is somewhat more noticeable there then in Las Vegas. The leaves on the trees change colors earlier in Oklahoma then they do here. I'm looking forward to my next-door neighbor's Oak tree changing colors, but that won't happen until late November or early December.