Whirlwind

[litch]

Driving in to work this afternoon I saw a whirlwind on the side of southbound mopac, just north of braker. It was large, playing in the cut grass on the hill after the offramp. It was delightful to see it and I was struck with how pleasent summer in central Texas can be. The long baking heat, interspersed with enough wretched humidity that it doesn't get too dry for the grasses and hardy trees. Huge cloud structures, titanic dollops of whipped creme floating through pale blue skies. Walking from the underground niche of the parking garage into the building I found the second monarch I've seen this summer, it was fluttering around the door into the building.

Everything in summer seems to slow down here. I imagine it is in part a legacy of the fact austin was a college/part time government town for so many years. It is less so than it used to be but it still permeates the soul of the town.