You Can Count on the Wind
By Marit Ehmke
Hello Radio Readers! This is Marit Ehmke coming to you from west-central Kansas in Lane County. As I was on the tractor the other day, racing the coming rain to knock down very healthy weeds, it occurred to me that we’re such at the mercy of what the wind brings our way. I chatted with a friend from Minnesota as they deal with hazy, smoky air, and it made me thankful that we aren’t grappling with the same thing here currently on the High Plains. The book “Heaven’s Breath: A Natural History of the Wind” by Lyall Watson is an excellent resource that illuminates this often-overlooked characteristic of our world and how our lives are shaped by it.
When Watson writes about the future of wind, he also tells of its past in relation to attempts to harness its power with technology. I have a tattoo of a windmill because I’ve always thought they’re a powerful symbol of ingenuity and perseverance, so I enjoyed discovering that around six million windmills were in use at one point, making life possible in drier parts of the U.S. He notes that they are ‘still the only thing that stands between ranchers and ruin’ in many parts of the world. He speaks about the changes we’ve made in wind power technology, and how using this source is a natural step in our energy evolution. Wild to think about how we’ve gone from windmills to wind turbines in less than a century.
It’s remarkable how deeply Watson has considered wind in every aspect. Regarding its mythology, he writes, “Of all natural forces, the wind has always been the most difficult to grasp. It touches us, moves us, but we cannot touch back. It was our first experience of the ineffable. Something of indescribable power, too remote to be seen, but near enough to be sensed in a very intimate, a very personal, way.” His poetic descriptions of wind throughout various cultures are detailed, nuanced, and vivid for something so difficult to describe at times.
Now when I see clouds rolling in, I won’t help but think of the force behind the storm. We are at the wind’s mercy, and we are also its beneficiaries. People who farm know this best since, in many ways, our lives revolve around the tides of the wind and what they bring. It’s a complex relationship that will endure throughout our time, and learning to live with this neighbor will be key. This book opened my eyes to countless interesting facts about something we interact with every day that we usually rarely think about.
If you’ve ever been curious about the many facets of this natural force, check out “Heaven’s Breath: A Natural History of the Wind” by Lyall Watson. He is truly an expert whose reverence for wind is rivaled only by his knowledge of it. I came away with a much deeper appreciation for this ever-present force of nature and an awareness of its significance.
This is Marit Ehmke for Radio Reader’s Book Club signing off from western Lane County.
