| Seasons of
Change
Ever had a tough dry spell
in your life? No dates, no sales, no interviews --
no matter how hard you tried to transform your life nothing
happened.
If so, take heart. This year nature is
showing us that spring and new growth are possible no matter
how long things have been desolate in your world.
Where is this miracle happening? Death Valley.
In the typical year this desert in Southern California gets
about 2 inches of rain -- that's it...2 inches of rain the
entire year! Some years they get no rain at all!
This year
with four more months yet to go in the rain "year,"
Death Valley has received 6.19 inches of rain. The
last time they felt the effects of this much rain was in 1911!
Unlike some years when all their rain falls in one storm and
washes away, this year's rainfall has occurred over a series
of months, tenths of an inch at a time, falling gently and
steadily so the water was able to soak into the earth. (This
rainfall is the result of an unusual weather pattern that
has soaked all of California, especially Southern California.)
This rainfall has sparked an amazing show of Spring
in the desert. Fifty varieties of wild flowers are
sprouting, growing, and blooming where ever water collects
in the desert -- ravines, near roadways, and alluvial fans.
(If you want to see a alluvial fan, visit http://tinyurl.com/3jbbr.
Those who
have made the trip to the desert say they've seen carpets
of flowers, and these flowers aren't all just one
color either. The flowers are a rainbow of colors-- golden
yellows, purples, blues, red, greens, and white. Imagine the
sight to behold!
They say the extra water is even changing the rocks
in the desert. The moisture that seeps inside the
rock forces mineral salts to the surface. Upon reaching the
surface, white flower-like splotches emerge on the sulfur
yellow hills.
At first glance that's the story, but in
actuality, the unusual rainfall has changed the ecosystem,
triggering a series of other events.
First the flower bloom has
attracted insects and birds who feed on and pollinate the
plants. Naturalists say some of the moths that have
appeared in the desert are as large as hummingbirds. In the
weeks to come the massive food source is likely to trigger
a ripple effect in increased insect populations. Think caterpillars
and grasshoppers!
Grazing animals and reptiles who live on vegetation
are also going wild! Imagine the feast before them.
They have had more fresh greenery to eat this year than ever
before in their lives. With excess food in the form of flowers
and seeds these animals are likely to reproduce more than
normal as well.
The effect of the spring bloom even affects the
upper end of the food chain. Most desert predators
hunt at night so their presence isn't very visible to visitors,
but they too are benefiting.
What can you take from this fabulous show of Spring?
- Spring comes to even the most desolate situations.
- Don't turn away from small gestures of support, let them
in, invite them in. You never know how they will add up
and multiply.
- Things bloom best when the conditions are right. In the
case of the desert, millions of seeds that had been dormant
for years and years came alive. Enough moisture in the soil
melted away the waxy protective coating that had kept the
seeds viable all these years and signalled that conditions
were right to sprout, grow, and flourish.
- As you begin to bloom, your essence attracts others.
By freely sharing ideas, resources, and tips, you foster
more growth and development -- for yourself and those who
come forward to support you.
- Your Spring growth triggers a ripple effect that may
touch people in ways you can't even imagine.
- Your actions may be a source of inspiration. You may
produce something that feeds others in some way--through
gifts of information, knowledge or ideas.
- When this Spring fades the seeds from your success hold
the potential for more growth, beauty, and excitement--when
conditions are, once again, right for growth that is.
As Spring unfolds in your area watch how your surroundings
come alive with activity.
(All photographs taken by Kent Fields, my husband - www.kentfieldsphotography.com, during our trip to Death Valley during the spectular bloom of 2005. What an experience!)
Subscribe
to the Life Transitions eNewsletter
Return
to Articles |
