We have had many 100 + degree days lately, but this afternoon about 1:30 we got a welcome shower. As I stepped out of the dentist office, I heard the thunder rumbling and ran back in to tell the girls and left them hollering for joy. On the way home, I turned off the radio and opened the windows just to hear the rumbling. I love rain! I never get depressed or long for sunshine as so many of my friends. I could live in Seattle with no problem.
When I got home I fixed my bruschetta, took it outdoors and sat on the patio waiting for the rain. I only took one bite when a drop splattered on my "Birds and Blooms" magazine. I grabbed the outdoor pillows and my food and headed for the front porch where I could enjoy the rain without getting wet. Hubby joined me and spread out on the swing. It took him about 3 minutes before lights were out for him. Why fight it?! I put my glass dish aside and just lowered my head...that was it! La la land for me, too. The rain was really coming down, it was cooler, and it just felt so wonderful to be able to just do what we were doing on the spur of the moment. That is what retirement is all about.
Right now the rain has stopped, the humidity is back, and the heat is getting oppressive again. We got a much needed shower, and I do mean shower, because our rain gauge only showed a trace. We never even stopped watering.
This little shower made me remember so many things involving rain.
I remember it raining when we pulled in to Mount Vernon many summers ago on one of our many family vacations. It was a perfect time to be there because rain scared away the tourist--all except us Oklahomans. We didn't drive for days to be deterred by a little rain. The kids were little, probably 10 and 7 and were at the perfect age to ask questions of our tour guide. She was so patient with them probably because we were the only tourists there that morning. The guides and park services tried to keep the place as it was back in George Washington's day; no electricity. The house was dark. When we went upstairs, there was a tiny open window at the end of the hall which gave the only light, which was little on this rainy day. We then went out back to the veranda. The smell of the flowers and rain was intoxicating and the view!!!! Old George really had a beautiful view of the Potomac. I remember thinking at the time that they must have really enjoyed those rainy days to provide a little heat relief. George and Martha are buried on this property...as it should be!
I recall many summer afternoons in Red River, NM, when a summer rain would come up. The air was already crisp and clean, but the rain made it even more so. I loved getting caught out in it and having to dash back up to our lodge with damp hair. We would grab our books and head to the porch for a view of the pouring rain between us and the mountains.
An earlier memory I have of rain is when we would hoe peanuts ($1 per hour). A summer shower would come up and that would be what we were looking for...an excuse to head to the house. The thought of not hoeing overcame our urge to make money. We were just teenagers and any excuse to goof off was good just like today.
As a farmer's daughter, I think I appreciate rain more than most. A farmer's livelihood is wrapped around rain or lack thereof; weather in general. One specific moment I recall was standing on the front porch with my dad as rain was headed our way from the Southwest. We watched it as it rumbled across our farm toward us. It started raining and raining hard. Oh JOY! My daddy was happy; we were all happy. It was an answered prayer, literally. Daddy took me to Shawnee and bought me a dress that very day for he knew that the peanut crop was going to be a good one. Most of my clothes were homemade and don't get me wrong, they were beautiful creations by my mom, but being the high maintenance girl that I was (am - I admit it), I always longed for a store bought dress. I remember it to this very day. It was a wool black and white hounds tooth pleated skirt, a white blouse, and a red vest. Oh my gosh, it was wonderful and so "Teen" magazine looking. I never asked for that dress, but it was something my daddy gave me unexpectedly.
So many things trigger memories for me. I hope that you, too, will find those triggers for your own memories. Rain...who would have thought that rain would bring back such great memories. What a wonderful afternoon! Don't let the rain catch you crying.
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