Boom!, bugs, blossoms, bees, books,birds, & thunderboomerz! Spring is now here, we have bugs(flies, moths, spiders, so far, that I noticed), flowers and tree blossoms of all kinds, what a sweet perfumed air it is,birds migrating back, and also thunderstorms with flamboyant displays of raw energy hotter than the sun itself. Just ponder that for a minute.

Many of Rays stories have expertly written entrances of weather phenomenon in them. I am a weather hound and I am particularly pleased when its something involving the weather such as wind,rain,flood,fire(by lightning of course),fog,drought,heat. I love dynamic weather, its a real plus living in this river valley. Very erratic weather dealing in extremes.

I have two questions tonight for you all:

#1. What is your preferred Ray Bradbury story that involves weather, why?

#2. What is your most special rite of spring that you look forward to every year?


I have to think about number one a while, number two for me is seeing the flowers and trees blossom and seeing all the vibrant colors come alive everywhere. We all plant flowers around Derby time when there's no more chance of frost.

Thought about number one, it's The Green Morning from Martian Chronicles. Its a story of birth and rebirth and I love how he describes the rain beginning to fall.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: rocket,

Robot Lincoln, you are so lucky to have Spring with you already. Here in the UK we're still stuck in a cold snap which makes it impossible to go outside without gloves, hat and scarf. Weather forecasters keep telling us its spring (they assume it starts on 1st March), but the weather tell us otherwise. Me, I wait for the spring equinox - about another 3 days to go - but I don't think the weather will even honour that.

Bradbury weather stories? For me, it's got to be "The Wind". It scares the bejeezus out of me.

"The Wind" is the first one that sprang to mind for me, too.
How about 'The Cistern"? Lotsa rain in that one.

I may have spoken too soon regarding the weather. Every year almost we experience a sort of Indian Spring. It gets all warm, cozy, and springlike, flowers blooming birds chirping, and then out of nowhere, whamo, ice and wind. We are in the midst of that now, poor poor Daffybills. I've seen snow on Derby day before. I forget how quirky the weather really is here, no matter, we're almost home free. philnic, yes The Wind too is one of my favs and very scary. Also The Long Rain has got to be real high up there as well. Its hard to pick favorites like this with his stories because they're all my favorites.

Yes, the Long Rain. Rite of spring, hmmmm. It's just something about the balmy air in spring, you have the warm sun in a crystal clear blue sky, green hills loaded with flowers all around. The warm breeze caressing on your skin. Makes you glad to be alive.

well put fanboy. it is rebirth at every turn and glance.

The Wind and the Long Rain definitely come to mind. The April Witch comes to mind, also. As a seasonal (not really weather, I suppose) I love the evocation of Autumn in Something Wicked This Way Comes.

Mr. Dark, you honor me with your concise posting sir. I agree 100 per cent, Something Wicked brilliant. Check my poster out in my pic on this thread. I love the carnival train in it.

And just where did you get the poster Robot Lincoln?

A friend at a printing shop scanned a small picture of it and blew it up to poster size. I had wanted him to do more pictures and photos but he no longer works there so that was the only one, thereby making it more special to me.

Are snowy or winter settings ever used in Ray's stories? I can't think of any. Maybe it's the influence of living in Los Angeles all these years, but he did grow up with snowy winters until he was 13. The "lake effect" off Lake Michigan can dump a lot of snow in a short time! I know!

Only about one one hundredth of Ray's stories feature winter or snow. "The Wish," "The Witch Door," "Bless Me, Father," and maybe two others I can't think of right now. "The Gift" may be the only Christmas story, and it takes place in Outer Space, where it's always pretty cold.

"...in Outer Space, where it's always pretty cold."
Three degrees Kelvin, so they say.

Unless, you're aboard "The Copa De Oro" !
Let's go North!

Yeah, "White Snowballs of Pluto" just isn't as catchy a title as "Golden Apples of the Sun!"

Not to sound sappy, but it's my honor to participate in the boards. Except for the occasionaly [Michael Moore] fiascos, these boards contain some great discussion and thought. I'm swamped right now, but still love to come lurk. I really enjoy your postings.