Sunday, July 15, 2007

It rained. Feel the joy.

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A long stretch of dry, blistering heat ended for an hour last week. I wasn’t expecting it that late afternoon and had just come inside the house, calling Chloe and Bella to follow me. Ten minutes outdoors was enough when it’s ninety-five and humid.



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A few minutes later, the sun disappeared behind thick storm clouds and the winds blew due north, putting a chill in the air. The birds found shelter for a reason other than a quickly approaching storm and in the distance I could see a wall of it. Rain? Really? Soon, I could smell it approaching. Hello, old friend.

Whenever I see and feel a storm approaching, I remember my Mother’s twinkling eyes and faint smile when the clouds became dark and low. She, being a child of a tenant farmer in the 1930’s and 40’s, viewed rain as cause for uplifted spirits and celebration. They relied solely on Mother Nature to feed the crops as there were no irrigation systems. Some of her happiest childhood memories included rainy days, as it was a time she and her siblings took a little break from farm work and enjoyed seeing their weary mother and father relax and feel the joy. Let there be peace.

Mom preferred clouds and I have always preferred sun. We understood each other anyway.


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The cable connection died and the lightning and thunder shook the house. What else was there to do except to take photos from the covered front porch or through the windows?



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Drink up, Witch Hazel!


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While most birds took cover, the hummingbirds seemed to love the downpour! I’ve been seeing eight or ten hummingbirds at my feeders at a time and I don’t think they are frolicking. They’re very competitive.



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A drenched hummingbird didn’t mind the shower at all.


Chloe never paid attention to thunderstorms until this year. She gets antsy and trembles at times. She found something to do…


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“I took your dinner napkin. Do you want it back?”


Bella was oblivious to the storm and continued to clean her toenails.


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“Yummy. Must have stepped on b-b-bunny poop.”


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It stormed for an hour but this isn’t the type of rain we need as it quickly rushed down the hills into the street. We're on the verge of a major water restriction here.



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We got a new visitor out of it, though. Love those little suction cup feet!




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The first bird to return to the feeder (of course).

The sun broke through again, steam rose from the streets, and we dried up. I think it was warmer after the storm than before it hit us.


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Ninety minutes later, back to boring normal (not referring to the hummingbird). Business as usual.



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27 comments:

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

Oh Mary, I'm glad you got some relief- even if it was short. We've had a blessedly cool respite here over the weekend with highs around 80 and much less humidity. They're froecasting upper 90's by the middle of next week though. It's been dry here too but not to the extent that you've had. At least some of the rain got a chance to refresh your yard and your spirits too!
The tree frog has a happy glint in his eye!
I love your hummer pix that show lots of movement.
Chloe reminds me of my Gidget but with Gidget she's always stealing kleenex tissues!

Mary said...

Lynne, we need to keep waste baskets up high or hidden from Chloe. She'll never learn... Glad you have cooler temps for a while, we are cooler, too, but will suffer again this week, like you.

Susie said...

Loved every one of your photos Mary. Glad you got a tiny bit of moisture to help freshen things a bit!
Now I'm going to have to watch our hummingbirds behavior when our rains start. We have hummers year round here, but I've never noticed them out in the rain..
hugs!

Chrissie said...

I am so pleased you had some rain, Mary. Congratulations on brilliant pics! I love the little frog with his suction feet and the sky pic! Really pleased to see you back :-)

Chrissie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jayne said...

We've had a few good rains too Mary, thank heaven. Still we are so far behind we'll never catch up. In the paper yesterday, they had a snippet about how over the past three years, we have been short the amount of a full year's rainfall. Nope, no climate change here...

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a good rain even if it wasn't the slow, ground-drenching rain you really need. We probably won't see rain until October here. But we get fog a few days a week and that helps.

Q said...

Dear Mary,
Wow, zip, zap zip! Rain in, rain out! Sounds like it was just the type of summer storm that makes sure the humidity stays up. Hard summer for your area.
I so enjoyed seeing your Hummingbird perched up. As well as the Dragonfly perched and watching.
I am wanting rain soon too. The storms this past week have gone around us.
I can hear the tree frogs but I have yet to see them. They are so cute!! Wonderful photos.
Do you have any rain barrels? I use the rain water from mine to water deck plants and replenish the ponds when it gets dry.
Saw a little lizard run across the driveway. I like them too.
Your dogs are fun and so cute...
Sherry

Larry said...

I love thunderstorms, but am always woried about possible damage to our house-(or anyone elses).-Nice photos!-hope we get some rain too.

dmmgmfm said...

It's so nice to see another blog post from you, Mary. I miss you, though I understand the need to get away from it all sometimes.

I will be doing that myself for awhile as my work will be even more hectic than usual during the next week and a half.

Hugs,
Laurie

sonia a. mascaro said...

Love all photos, but Chloe with the napkin is so cute!

Sounds the rain was good for your garden!

Mary C said...

So glad to hear you got *some* moisture. Let's hope you get more soon.

cat59 said...

Such a great idea to document the storm with pics! Love the photos and commentary about the pups!

Anonymous said...

How LOVELY, Mary! I can almost smell the rain from your images.

smilnsigh said...

OHHHHHHHHH I am soooooooooooo happy for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Too hot/humid and no rain can be awful I'm sure.

We had some heat/humidity but not much and I'm so grateful. But Summer isn't over yet.

Anyway, I'm so h appy you had rain!!!!

Mari-Nanci

Anonymous said...

This year the rain is very much needed and glad some has come your way! Looks like the frogs, birds, and even hummingbirds are happy! YEAH!

sonia a. mascaro said...

Hi Mary, thanks for your visiting and compliments! Fortunately in Brazil we don't have tornados. But in that day, the storm was very strong and felling some trees. But fortunately nobody was hurt. Thanks for ask!

Have a good week!

KGMom said...

You all have had a drier year than we have, but we could sure use rain too. I note that my trees are looking stressed.
Glad you got some rain.

Cathy said...

Mary! This post knocked my socks off. You are so good with that camera, girl. That's such a sweet story about your mom's childhood - her love of rain and cloudy days. I love the sound of water pouring out of the downspout.

I couldn't live in a desert for all the reasons your beautiful pictures depicted. Water is wonderful.

So nice to see the sweet pups - even when they're antsy or licking bunny poo from toe nails:0)

Susan Gets Native said...

Don't look a storm cloud in the mouth....or whatever.
We got a nice soaking rain today, but like you, we then steamed like stadium hotdogs afterwards.
The pic of the hummingbird....looks like a tiny, feathered demon.

Naturegirl said...

Ahhh..what a refreshing post because I understand the need for a good rain! We are on a water restriction so we have been ~hand watering~ for weeks now!! Wilt wilt wilt seems to be the language in the garden so I am hosing down constantly sometimes twice daily!!!

My pets take to the basement when it storms out!! Yours look calm!!
Tell me what you feed the hummers??
Mine(feeders) seem quiet this year?

Mary you are so generous with your comments on my blog..~thank you so very much!!~
You inspire and motivate me!!As you well know sometimes to post ..it just isn't there> hugging you NG

Mary said...

Hi Susie, I watch them a lot because they'll be leaving in a few months and I'll miss them.

Chris, thanks - tree frogs are cute.

Jayne, I hope you have a few days of a nice soaking rain...

Liza, I think remember you having a dry spring?

Sherry, no rain barrels yet. They're on the list. I think the lizards appreciate a little water, too!

Larry, our power stays on but we lose cable and internet after the first clap of thunder. Uggghhh!

Laurie, take care. Two of the men I support are on vacation this week. My job gets pushed aside. Funny - when I take off, my crap piles up, waiting for my return.

Sonia, the dogs usually steal the show!

Mary C, thanks. We really need it.

Cathie, thanks. Rain is really not post worthy but I used it anyhow :o)

Nikkipolani, thanks! Fresh rain has a very distinct aroma, doesn't it?

Mari-Nanci, yes, summer isn't over yet. We still need to finish July and look forward to August!!!

Monarch, we're OK. Things are wilting but still alive.

Sonia, that was a meaning looking storm you had - tornado weather here.

Donna, some of our trees having changing leaves already. Very stressed.

Cathy, HA! We used to call Mom "the Gloomy One" since she loved clouds!

Susan, yeah, we're all a bunch of hot dogs around here.

Naturegirl, the hummers get sweet nectar - 4 parts water, 1 part regular sugar - to a boil, then cool.

thailandchani said...

Love the rain! Always have. For some reason, I've never liked bright sunshine. (I'm probably bizarrely wired.. but then that's nothing new! LOL)

Especially, I remember the rain storms in your part of the world.

Wow.... loved 'em!


Peace,

~Chani

entoto said...

s!

Mary said...

Chani, so your a mushroom huh? I have a friend who hates sunshine, too!

Trixie, s! (?????)

Dirty Fingernails said...

oh Mary send some rain this way!!I def. need some raIn here in GA. The pictures are great!!!

RuthieJ said...

Hi Mary,
I'm glad you finally got some rain.

I have dumpster diving dogs too. The tempting and tasty trash can stays in the cupboard in the kitchen.

I loved the little hummingbird in the tree picture--same green color as the leaves--very pretty.