SANTA ANA WINDS

WHEN I WAS A BOY GROWING UP IN GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA, I DEVELOPED AN INTEREST IN WEATHER AND HOW IT AFFECTED ME.  BACK IN THE 1950'S, LOS ANGELES HAD A TERRIBLE SMOG PROBLEM...FAR WORSE THAN IT IS TODAY,  BACK THEN, THE SMOG KILLED PEOPLE.  IT WAS LIKE BEING IN A CLOSED CONTAINER....THE SUN, JUST A SMOKY ORANGE BALL IN THE SKY, AT NIGHT, NO STARS SEEN, NO OUTLINES OF MOUNTAINS NOR HILLS SEEN...NO BREEZE...JUST A HEAVY CHEMICAL ATMOSPHERE... ALL NATURE GROANED.....I REMEMBER ONE NIGHT, IN PARTICULAR.  I WAS IN MY BEDROOM DOING MY HOME WORK AND HEARD A SOUND....A LITTLE SOUND, AND I WENT OUTSIDE.  SANTA ANA SWEEPING THE SKY...THE SULPHER SMELL REPLACED BY FRESH AIR.....THE VEDURDO HILLS ETCHED IN BLACK AGAINST A STARRY SKY,,,THE BIG DEODAR NEXT DOOR, SINGING SOFTLY IN THE WIND..AVOCADO TREE LEAVES RATTLING...BIG GUST NOW..MAMMA'S WIND CHIMES ON BACK PORCH TINKLED IN JOY....A DOOR IN GARAGE BANGED SHUT...IT WAS LIKE TAKING A BATH..FILTHS GONE...THE LAND WAS BEING BATHED....SILVER MOON....SUCH A NICE TREAT FOR ME,,AND THE WHOLE WORLD, IT SEEMED....B