Recipe for Disaster

Image of StormSpinner with her 'brew'
(c) Karen Lynn Vidra

"Recipe for Disaster"

You've heard of 'White Lightning.'
You haven't had anything yet
until you taste StormSpinner's
Homemade StormBrew.
It will make you wish you had
drunk a Hurricane, instead. =]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Take two parts sky, fold.
*Spray the pan liberally with CAPE.
*Add wind shear.
*Remove the CAP at the triple point
of warm front/cold front/dryline.
*One drop of instability to make things pop.
*Add cauliflower towers of convection.
*Boil until the SPC issues a tornado watch,
pour into heated drinking glasses.
*Garnish with chaser convergences.
Observe the stillness of the air around you.
*Drink, until you howl. =]

(c) 2009, Karla Dorman (9/14)

Trivial Pursuit (with video link) - 5/7/5

ratcheted as high
as its temper will allow,
the bullying sky

it wrestles me to
the ground and shouts in my ear -

i
feel
very
small

insignificant.
a trivial pursuit whose
fate is in its hands -

(c) 2009, Karla Dorman (8/28)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=aji09wGFeGI

Aww, Mommmmm!! (with video link)

Thunder mutters in a
growly voice, wake up. Aww,
Mommmmm, just a few more hours,
I whine. Roll over, y a n k
the covers over my
head, fully intending
on returning to the
nice dream I was having:
nothing doing. It (she?)
yells, louder and louder:
alright, already, i'm
up, I'm up, I mumble
under my breath, hoping
she doesn't hear me. Some
people like to sleep in,
particularly on
rainy mornings like this,
but she's not having it:
When I say get up, get
up - and don't roll your eyes!

(c) 2009, Karla Dorman (8/21)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Sp25Cy9uCE

Confronting the Beast Once and for All

Image of StormSpinner (c) 2009, Karen Vidra.

(And thank you, Aaron, for letting me
'borrow' your stormchase vehicle!!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Confronting the Beast Once and for All

i hate storms. when
they gather forces
overhead, with me as
their target, i panic and
turn a deeper shade
of chicken.

i love storms. when
they dazzle my eyes
with their power, i am
humbled by greatness.
and look - God autographed
one just for me!

i hate storms. when
i hear of their destructive
side and see the pain in
a survivor's eyes, i know:
been there. i relive mine
all over again.

i love storms. when
one allows me to take its
picture, i am thrilled.
couldn't have done this
six years ago. the fear
was bigger than me.

going on my first "real"
stormchase next spring.
scared? yes. excited?
you bet. if you can't
change the weather, look
at it through new eyes. =]

(c) 2009, Karla Dorman (9/13)

If You See The Lightning and Hear The Thunder ...

It's said that if you see
the lightning and hear the
thunder, it missed you. This
one a bit too close: we've
had a strange year, weather-
wise. Our severe season

began early, then got
smashed by the Death Ridge of
high pressure. This past week,
storms nearly every
day: the other morning,
rudely jolted awake

by tornado sirens.
Yesterday afternoon,
the bottom dropped out with
heavy rain and spiders
dancing silver on the sky.
Today, a positive streamer

followed by a bolt in
the parking lot followed
by nearly instant crack
that shook the camera
in my hands and my nerves ...
wonder what tomorrow holds?

(c) and Revised, 2009, Karla Dorman (8/1)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTJSim9fpD8

This Is A Drill. This is Only A Drill ...

Been happening for several days,
bad weather: the air, overhead,
very unstable, primed to explode:
finally does, this morning with the
arrival of two tornadoes. One
tears through the high school;
that one, bad enough. The second
waits, gathering F-5 strength,
before shredding a neighborhood
nearby. Police/fire/EMTs/city
personnel stretched to the limits
of patience; sounds of sirens and
pain cut through the debris and
fears of another storm coming. I
don't see or hear anything: I am
unconscious, a victim of the wind
- red tagged for quick transport
to the hospital. Twin sis fares better
than me: walking wounded. It's a
scene no one wants to imagine,
but must be planned for, this full-
scale disaster drill happening today ...

(c) 2009, Karla Dorman

REVISION: Life In The Alley

The skies shaded in
darkening hues of terror,
clouds swollen. Pulsing ...

the wind dies. All stilled
before the chaos arrives
(where are the birds???). Red

watch boxes issued;
radars crank up; weathermen
go on high alert,

matching the high risk,
dangerous situation
building overhead.

Spatterings of rain
do not cut humidity,
only enhance it;

you can f e e l something
wicked this way comes. Sirens
wail warbeling tones;

chasers converge on
the storm; Civil Defense and
cities in the path

rise to the challenge.
This, just another day of
life in 'The Alley.'

(c) 2007, Revised, 2009, Karla Dorman

9/11 Revisited: Fear Of Fallin

Fear of Fallin ...

thru air so cold
so bit/ter it
heats on the way
d
o
w
n
(kept feet firmly
planted, rooted
to solid ground;
knew where they were
all times, all hours,
no surprises
to throw me off
the edge, screaming .. . ...).

Then came that day.
Not given a
choice: Burn. Or jump.

Hell of a note.


Man not equipped
with angel's wings.





Not created
to soar like birds.








And yet, I flew ...

(c) 2007, Revised, 2009, Karla Dorman