Risky Business

Those of you who are in the Wharton County area were likely experiencing the same type of weather that we were this morning. Even with the time change when Catherine and I wake up around 7-ish the sun is already up a little bit. Be sure to note that I use the word wake up and not get up. Normally, we like to hit the snooze button about 7 times and then lay there and talk to the cat.

Anyway, this morning it was especially hard to get up because it was still dark. You know those mornings when it is dark outside and the air is cool, and you only want to bury your head back into the pillow and wake up at noon? The kind of morning when if you have a class at 8 there is no chance you will go. Well that is what this morning was. But Catherine and I wanted to get a start on cleaning the house and getting our new antiques (is that an oxymoron?) put away.

About 3.7 minutes into that ritual I got sidetracked by the fast approaching storm. You see, it is pretty flat around this neck of the woods and when I go out on the porch I can see for a good while. I also have this obsession with watching a storm roll through. So with the combination of having to do house work and a amazing light show going on outside, Catherine had noticed that I had gone missing. When she found me I was sitting on the porch trying to take pictures of lightning. Now that I read that, I may need to get my head examined.

Regardless of my level of sanity, taking photos of lighting is way harder than one would think. I would have my camera focused on the sky and when I would see the lightning I would press the button. Then I would get all excited and look in the image viewer and there would be nothing. Nada. Zilch. But I was able to get a few pictures of lightning strikes. And that is what the pictures on the blog are. When I say a few, it is only 4. Out of the nearly 200 pictures I took, I only got 4 with a visible strike.

On a side note, Catherine was sure that I was going to get struck by lightning in my adventures this morning. While I was taking pictures she went back into the house to move the couch or something and when she was inside I walked over towards the fence because I was tired of that stupid power line being in my pictures. Well when she came back out she could not find me and started to yell in this frantic manner for me. The dialogue was something like this.

Catherine: "Luke. Luke! LUKE! LUKELUKELUKE!!! Where are you?!?!"

Me: "I am over here! "

Catherine: "Are you alright, did you get struck by lightning? Are you dead?"

Me: (thinking to myself how could I be dead if I was talking?) "No I just wanted to get that stupid power line out of my way."

Catherine: "Get back over here, you are going to get struck by lightning. HURRY!"

So with that I will leave you with the pictures that I was able to get. Next time a storm rolls through your area, just try to take a picture of lightning. I dare you! It is much more difficult that this rancher thought!

See at the top of this picture. That is the stupid power line that kept getting in my way. I think I am going to go chop that down. Wait until you see those pictures!