Haboob

Moving from lower Alabama to west Texas, we traded hurricanes for sand storms or haboobs. While they are much less life threatening than hurricanes, haboobs do create a dirt mess.

Normally, I am in the vineyard with John and the children every morning until lunchtime. After lunch, I stay home and put the two younger children down for a nap. While they are sleeping, I catch up on housework, cook and have a cup of coffee. Once they wake up, we walk back to the vineyard to put in a couple more hours of pruning before supper.

Yesterday, I had just gotten to the vineyard with our 3 year old riding piggyback, when John said, "Look! Do you want to be in that?" Turning around, I was met with the above picture - a haboob to the north and headed our way fast! You can see the red cloud above the horizon.

A haboob can move deceptively quickly. You think you have plenty of time to get home and before you know it, you are in the middle of dust, dirt and debris being thrown at you - yes, that is a voice of experience speaking ;)

Needless to say, we all started running and just made it to the door as the first wave of dirt began to pelt us. Whew!