Forcing Our Will on Nature isn't Natural

Dessert Oases are Possible

The heat and the humidity of August can make it impossible to have a rational thought, let alone a flash of inspiration.  Even though I live is what should be an "arid" climate, it sometimes seems like the tropics when a monsoon finishes its run off the coast sending waves of heavy, damp air, and a smattering of rain here and there.  That in itself can taunt you to distraction when we are deep into the fourth year of a devastating draught.

As I was sitting on my front porch this evening, I overheard a conversation between my neighbors.  The woman was watering her great variety of non-draught tolerant plants when she said to her male friend, "I love the yard, especially when it is wet."   He chuckled and said, "But we live in an arid climate.  This is not natural. You can't force your desires on the environment.  You won't win."

"I went to the mountains today," she sighed wistfully.  "I just like how it feels like that here...especially when I water."

"Then we should move to the mountains," he said, seemingly fully aware they were not going to be doing that.  After a pause, he said again, "You can't force your will on nature."

She went on watering.  He went inside to get them both a drink.

I thought about this overheard conversation for a while.  No, we cannot force our will on nature.  And, man, oh, man, how we have tried.  I admit I have be complicit in this "crime" against nature.  We move here for the climate from the changeable east cost and midwest, and then try to make this place, Southern California, as much like home as possible.

It seems nature is tired of our arrogance.  And as the gentleman next door said, against nature, we won't win.

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