Rain

Where the bees go during a soft rain...

The rain falls gently
Nature rests in dry shelter
I watch safe at my window

By Karen L.

Rain droplet suspended within a zinnia

It rained all the day
from morning to afternoon
then the sun came out

By ybonesy

Oil painting or photograph?

White flower
nods with sleep as summer raindrops
bend the lacy petals

By D. Bradford

Summer

Yesterday my Sunny Friend, Eve, and I sat on her porch and chewed the fat about Life and Gardens. We both were lamenting the fact that we simply haven't been interested in taking photos of late. Maybe the heat and humidity were keeping us indoors, but whatever. I pondered this on the way home as I drove through the mountains in a bowl of sunshine.

Storms formed all around us and I left Eve's mountaintop home just in time. There was a little rain on me at first, but the dark gray misty clouds wrapped southerward around me, slamming Eve and Morgan in their cottage. They were rocking and rolling with nature while I was rocking and rolling with Bonnie Raitt in the sunshine.

The drive was amazing. A sheet of rain exactly one country block to my left almost to Ditto Landing. Shade on the left side, sun on the right side. To the west and north, more dark clouds lined the horizon while rain pummeled the south and east. Literally, a bowl of sunshine.

Eve and I did talk to make sure each was okay, and I made it inside before the next wave of rain pitty-patted down upon our patio and the Gazanias.


I bought these at the local Co-op. Their bright, sunny colors with stripes caught my attention. Never had gazanias; had never HEARD of gazanias. They want full sun and little water. They get sun, but we've been inundated with rain so they're a little bedraggled. Perhaps a little shocked. "Ma'am....we're great for xeriscaping, but NOT pots on a porch with lots of rain. Get it?"


Got it. But you look so lovely in rows of pots on my patio table, gazanias. Please perform for me? Please? I promise to take the water-catcher trays out from underneath you so that you'll not get wet feet. And I promise to photograph you a lot, okay? Your skirts are just so pretty!


Shades of red, red orange, orange, magenta, yellow and yellow-orange seem prevalent. Some have stripes and some do not. I wanted a "Duke's mixture" and that's what I got. The rainfall left pretty droplets of water in the dimming light of sunset. While the dogs were in the backyard doing what dogs need to do I amused myself with the macro lens.

Maybe the lack of desire to shoot was caused by lack of inspiration. These bright flowers in the graying light really called to me yesterday afternoon. Or, maybe it was lunch with a sunny friend that brightened my disposition. Or both. Yesterday jump-started my creativity gene again. Thanks, Eve, for everything. I needed that.

Rockin' Robin

Oh my, I really don't have much to say STILL! I'm up to my eyeballs in boring work, readying for graduation soirees and company coming, finishing up projects and yada, yada, yada. Thank heavens this wet, bedraggled baby robin dropped by to cheer me up and bring a smile.

Mom and/or dad was out getting worms for this little tyke so I settled on the sofa's arm to wait. While I waited the baby took a quick nap.

The rain must feel nice.

"....hey, whaddayou lookin' at?"

Obviously I wasn't a threat and he went back into his slumbers ... for about one second. I glanced away for a minute to shoo Baylee away from the sliding glass door and when I looked back he was gone. Lucky me, he left his calling card on the patio. Love you too.

My mom has baby bluebirds nesting in her newspaper tube thingie that's attached to her mailbox! I hope they're still there when I visit tomorrow. That's it from me!

Experience

The suburbs got to me one day a couple of weeks ago. I had to be at the lake, craved being at the lake, all by myself, alone, me and the winds and waves and birds. Clean air, light, breezes playing with my hair, the smell alone is worth the drive. There's nothing like the scent of the wind off the lake. It's cooler there, cleaner there, magical there. Driving from the east it was clear a storm was percolating on the western horizon. Watching it build was exhilarating even as I hoped to beat it there. Storms on the lake are a favorite event. Dark grey clouds billowed higher and higher as I approached but were still a distance away when I pulled into the driveway. The photo above is taken as I got out of the car, looking nearly straight up. It was coming - not much time.


I poured a glass of wine and headed to the deck quickly. Feeling that pre-storm jolt of air was critical to my being. The flag was whipping and snapping in salute, and there was a respectable chop on the lake's surface.

Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....................................

I am happiest here. This is where I find my bliss, my peace, my soul.

The newly-cleared bank looks good. The buckeyes already dropping leaves for autumn. By now they're simply sticks laden with pods which will soon pop open, dropping their nutmeg colored buckeye seeds onto the ground.

Looking up - the storm is approaching. Please, please, please just a few more minutes.

So much humidity building; condensation beads form despite the wind.

How rude. I really should share with my blogging friends.

Cheers!!!

Here it comes. A sheet of misty gray rolls across the lake, bringing with it torrential rains and beautiful winds and whipping tree branches. Besides the Giraffe Head Tree this dead tree has to be a favorite. Ospreys dine there, Great Horned Owls linger there, Bald Eagles perch there, as do all manner of woodpeckers and songbirds. And squirrels and raccoons. Easy to spot.

I hope you enjoyed this little moment in time with me.

Sunday Night

Storms brewing to the west at sunset enthralled us with a theater of cloud formations. Boiling, racing, brewing, ever changing charcoal mountains with gleaming white and silver accents. Rays of sunshine framed appendages of feathering puffs. The odd rainbow effect of refracted light would shift with the winds, which whipped the clouds into odd formations.

Powerful visions such as these humble me into silence as I ponder just how small I am.

Nature can paint a picture like no other.

Truly spectacular.

There are no words for these miracles.

To the east, the clouds were beginning to cover the rising moon.
An hour later it was dark and the rains came in torrents.

Red Sky at Morning...

Sailor Take Warning, Red Sky at Night, Sailor's Delight...

Spring storms are rumbling through and I'm so grateful that they are. I adore a good thunderstorm although I'm not fond of the occasional tornado. These storms bring beautiful gifts of colorful clouds and fresh, clean air. Rains cleanse the air of pollen, so much so that our roadways are mushy with the greenish-yellow stuff. Cars leave their tracks within it much like snow slush.

Glowing sunrises alert us to rains on their way. The plants are all greening up, sprouting, blooming, reaching for the skies as their roots dig deep into the drenched soil. Happy Spring!