Earth Moves

Upon checking the earthquake page in my favored bookmarks, I found Washington on the list. A closer map marked an earthquake 2.7 on the Richter scale at 03:56, April 4, 2009, located in Yakima, Washington, nine miles north of Richland, less than a mile deep. Now at 4 am I was sound asleep on my bed above the floor of my old house that is anchored solidly in this good old earth. I remain totally unaware of any minor shift of the earth's skin. I envision the movement to resemble a horse contracting its muscles on the outer skin of its withers to dislodge biting critters. So the shift of the earth is too minor for my notice. It is, however, close enough that I am reminded that all the earth surface is connected.
California is almost daily on the list. The location is specific to northern, central, or southern California which shows Redding and Eureka, both inland and offshore; San Francisco, ranging up and down the bay area; and Los Angeles in a wide inland area. Only once did Daniel and Debra notice any tremors. At the time they were both twenty five miles away from the epicenter which I recall was somewhere in northern part of the County. That inland earthquake was above 3.
April 3, the USGS registered a 3.8 earthquake nine miles offshore at Eureka, 15.9 meters deep. I assume that depth was below the ocean floor. Barely skin deep. Several days before three others were measured farther out and somewhat deeper. And so it is all around as the world turns. The records in science are handy. Information that previously was unknown, is available to all. Before recorded scientific information those who felt the tremors had no way of knowing the truth. Their lack of understanding gave rise to superstition and myths that plague us to this day.
Naomi Sherer