|
Clouds After the Rainstorm Mountain View & Palo Alto, CA
Photos of Clouds & Haikus |
|
Preface: "Bay Area Swamped— Season's first storm is unrelenting, one of
strongest in 50 years" was the headline of October 14, 2009 issue of
San Jose Mercury News.
"By 5 pm, Tuesday, this storm had dropped 2.22 inches of rain in San Jose in the previous
24-hour period, while Oakland received 3.86 inches, San Francisco 2.48 inches, and Santa Cruz
3.16 inches, breaking a 1957 record of 2.49 inches. The last October storm of this magnitude
hit the region in 1962."
(See Slide Show).
Yesterday, despite the heavy rainstorm, some 200 people showed up for
Matthieu Ricard's talk
"The Roots of Altruism"
at McCaw Hall, Arrillaga Alumni Center at 7:30 pm. I arrived at 7 pm and got a second row
seat, saw the beautiful slide show of scenic Tibet, wisdom faces of masters, and smiling faces
of children, prior to his lecture. Ricard spoke extemporaneously without notes from
his heart and told us that our true nature is not selfishness but altruism, compassion,
and kindness. Scientific tests have shown that Ricard
is the
happiest man in the world. I certainly felt his overflowing joy chatting with him afterwards.
I've been joyful ever since embarking on the spiritual quest and meeting sages who shared with me
their wisdom and compassion. This last month, I've been especially blessed by "Mother Bird" that
sits on an eucalyptus tree outside of my kitchen window which inspired this
poem. Yesterday, during the monster storm,
the eucalyptus tree was shaking violently, its branches and leaves tossing wildly
in the wind like some raving beast. I couldn't see "Mother Bird" in its calm composure
as usual communing with me eye-to-eye at breakfast. Today when I looked out of my window,
to my chagrin, Mother Bird is gone— gone with the wind, gone, gone, gone— gone
to the other shore. I went out to the porch, and snapped a photo of its demise as a momento
of how distraught I am missing my breakfast companion. Perhaps the wind didn't break off its
head that is now covered by other branches. Considering the damages suffered by so many in
the Bay Area by yesterday's storm, I should be content that my dwelling was not flooded
or experienced loss of electricity. I took my camera with me today on my way to Stanford
and photographed some clouds in the sky. Just before the Art Library, a tiny bird hopped
out to the sidewalk chirping to me. I told it "Please stay little bird so I may take your
photo." It obliged, and my last photo shows how my sadness turned to joy on the day after
the storm. Addendum: Two days after the storm, the sun shone brightly on Thursday,
October 15. When I went to the porch to pick up the newspaper and glanced to
the eucalyptus tree, what a surprise— Mother Bird is back! A bit bruised from the
strong winds and monster storm— its head is bumpy and no longer smooth, its eye seems
to be missing, but its beak and body are still intact. I took a photo of Mother Bird's
resurrection as well as a Dragon Cloud in the western sky. On leaving my apartment,
I paused to contemplate the "Light descending the staircase" and ponder more on
little bird's message when it sang to me "Keep steadfast— Go on with the Work!"
| ||
/948-BirdBranches.jpg)
|
Monday, September 7, 2009, 10:45 am Mountain View: Mother Bird made from eucalyptus tree branches outside my kitchen window inspiring a poem Mother Bird outside my kitchen window— flew from sky to sing to me. | |
|
 | |
|
Wednesday, October 14, 2009, 3:21 pm Mountain View, El Camino & Ortega Ave. "Triangle of Light" covered by dark clouds just before boarding Bus #22 to Stanford Bear Cloud moving fast and ate up the "Triangle of Light" for his lunch. | |
|
 | |
|
Wednesday, October 14, 2009, 3:47 pm Palo Alto, El Camino & Galvez Street Dark storm clouds over Stanford Stadium Yesterday's rainstorm was strongest in 50 years— Are there more rain to come? | |
|
 | |
|
Wednesday, October 14, 2009, 3:50 pm Palo Alto, El Camino & Galvez Street "Dragon Cloud" over Stanford Stadium "Dragon Cloud" brought lots of rain yesterday— please stop and give us some rest! | |
|
| |
|
Wednesday, October 14, 2009, 3:53 pm Palo Alto, El Camino & Galvez Street Waiting for Shuttle Bus B-line Clockwise. Dark storm clouds over Stanford Stadium Dark cloud shaped into a cyclone cloud but missed photo when my bus came. | |
|
.jpg) | |
.jpg)
|
Thursday, October 15, 2009, 12:21 pm Home in Mountain View: Surprised to see "Mother Bird" back in eucalyptus tree after three full days of invisibility (with head bruised & eye missing after storm) Three days in the cave like Dark Moon becoming New— Mother Bird is back! | |
|
 | |
|
Thursday, October 15, 2009, 2:48 pm Home in Mountain View: Leaving apartment & spotted "Nude Light descending staircase" that Marcel Duchamp would love to see. "Nude Descending a Staircase" (1912) Light descending the staircase— Follow sunshine's steps to the Holy Grail! | |
| Top of Page
| Nature Walks 2009
| Nature Walks 2008
| Haikus 2009
| Monet Haikus |
| Poems 2009
| Poems 2008
| Basho on Poetry
| Poems Index
| Poetry News |
| CPITS
| Poetry & Power
| Poetry Resources
| Books
| A-Z Portals
| Home |
| © Peter Y. Chou,
Wisdom Portal P.O. Box 390707, Mountain View, CA 94039 email:  (10-15-2009) |
 |