Thursday, March 09, 2006

Talk About the Weather

Recently I was talking to someone from Ohio who was complaining about their weather.

I told them, "You should move to a more tropical climate--Kansas."

Not Florida. Kansas. Yes, you read this right.

The rock group REM croan in a tune called Pop Song 89, "Should we talk about the weather?" Well here in Kansas, we talk about the weather all the time. Weather talk is easy, non-threatening small talk, but here in Kansas, talking about the weather is big business.

Unlike western Kansas, where farmers pump water out of underground aquifers to give their crops moisture, here in central Kansas and the Little River area, farmers are known as "dry land farmers." They depend on God to water their crops.

If it doesn't rain, crops don't grow, harvests are thin, and payouts are small. One horrible harvest can ruin a farmer.

This winter, we've barely had rain. In fact, this is the mildest Kansas winter I can recall in my ten years here.

On the same day that I was talking to my Ohio complainer, New York City and Washington DC were digging out of a snow blizzard. Meanwhile, it was 70 degrees in Kansas.

This week, I haven't worn a jacket. And more warm weather appears to be in Little River's future.

So if you're looking to move to a warmer climate--consider Kansas.

If not, pray that we get some rain.

No comments: