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D'vorahDavida
Yetzirah

Calm Before The Storm?
Wed Aug 09 2006


I feel a bit like I am in the doldrums.

And as soon as I used that word, of course I had to go look it up. What does it really mean?

(dl´drmz) or equatorial belt of calms, area around the earth centered slightly north of the equator between the two belts of trade winds. The large amount of solar radiation that arrives at the earth in this area causes intense heating of the land and ocean. This heating results in the rising of warm, moist air; low air pressure; cloudiness; high humidity; light, variable winds; and various forms of severe weather, such as thunderstorms and squalls. Hurricanes originate in this region. The doldrums are also noted for calms, periods when the winds disappear, trapping sailing vessels for days or weeks.

Interesting. I had no idea that the doldrums were also the birthplace of hurricanes. But when you think about it, that is rather poetic. Too much calm is not normal. Days or weeks? Let's hope for only days in the doldrums.

I suppose it's a good time to polish the brass, swab the decks, or clean out the salted herring barrels. Beings as how one won't have to bother with all that sundry rigging, trimming the sails, gybing, heeling, and tacking around.

Good time to work on yer skrimshaw there me bucko.

Arrrr!


(I think I'm seasick. And why does she have an eyepatch on? Someone call the ship's surgeon. She looks feverish to me.)

11 Comments
  • From:
    Pragmatist (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Aug 09 2006
    Interesting how we use word in every-day conversation. Then we look them up, and they sometimes don't mean exactly what we think they mean.

    I think of doldrums as a low point in my energy: a go-away-don't-bother-me time.

    Shalom
  • From:
    Supertrooper (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Aug 09 2006
    Hubby was in the real life Doldrums a few times on ships when he served in the Royal navy ..so I knew that !

    Hugs you tight and hopes you feel better soon .

    L xxx
  • From:
    Allimom (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Aug 09 2006
    The weather has the doldrums around here, but I'm loving it! A nice cool day for canning, what more could a girl ask for?
    Alli
  • From:
    Welshamethyst (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Aug 09 2006
    *joins you on deck with a good book*
  • From:
    Allimom (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Aug 09 2006
    I'm using mostly Roma's (35 pounds) and 10 additional pounds of a couple other kinds. I'm taking the approach you introduced me to with apples that a few different kinds will give a more rounded flavor.

    I forgot how slowly it goes with making sauce. I've GOT to get a couple larger pots. I thought the ones I have were huge, but not huge enough!
    Alli
  • From:
    Welshamethyst (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Aug 09 2006
    We get realllllyyyyyy hot in the summer and I tend to try to get my tomatoes in the ground early for the reason you're talking about. I pretty much disregard the "mothers day" rule and plant them as soon as they are available because I can always cover them. I've followed this regiment for the last 15 years and I've always gotten my tomatoes to keep producing until Autumn frost. I also use a little contraption called an Auto 'Mater. It's a square thingy with deep wells that you put in the ground and stake in. You place the plant in the center and overwater it so that it slowly waters over a couple of days so you aren't out there every night with the hose and it lets you avoid those times when you might not necessarily have time to get out there.
  • From:
    Mamallama (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Aug 09 2006
    Hey, Red. Maybe she is having "Pirates of the Caribbean" wannabe-ism?

    I'm home. Wish I was still in the mountains!
  • From:
    ImNotLisa (Legacy)
    On:
    Thu Aug 10 2006
    I wish I were in the literal doldrums every time I think about work.

    bleh
  • From:
    ImNotLisa (Legacy)
    On:
    Thu Aug 10 2006
    RYN: Thanks! This weekend for sure - I'm still working too late in the evenings to do much that I'd like to do or have fun doing.

    The really bad girl in me is thinking yarn, and don't get me wrong, that would be good... but clothing might be better or even a piece of (cheap but nice) jewelry. We'll see what comes of the next few days.
  • From:
    InStitches (Legacy)
    On:
    Thu Aug 10 2006
    It seems to me the world could use a nice time out in the doldrums long about now and there are more than a few folks who would do well to stay there permanently.
  • From:
    Deepbluesea (Legacy)
    On:
    Thu Aug 10 2006
    Now that IS an interesting definition.

    I hope that hurricane blows away the blues.

    :)