My turn for rain

Last summer we had the second worst drought I can remember. Leaves fell from the trees by the 4th of July. I was afraid we'd start a fire when we set off the fireworks. It was a summer of prayer and stoic endurance. This year - it's my turn for rain. Sweet, glorious, life giving, grass growing rain. 

By long habit, and now in honor of Daddy, I always save my housecleaning for Saturdays. If something better comes along, usually no housecleaning at all happens - though I have been known to take a Friday off to do Saturday's chores. But mostly you'll find me with duster, vacuum and furniture polish on Saturday mornings. It takes till 2 o'clock to clean my unsealed, dog-filled, country house, no matter what time I start. I am constitutionally unable to finish before or keep on after 2. 

The routine continues with a long soaky bath, a nap, and some lazy time with knitting needles, library book, or some other enriching pastime - on the porch or by the fire, depending on the season. All day the sky had threatened, and failed to provide, a storm so that eventually I turned a deaf ear to its wolfish cry of rain. Thus I was caught completely by surprise when drops began to fall. This was straight down rain from a patchy sky that sprinkled shafts of sunlight between the raindrops. 

It was such a sight I had to grab camera and attempt to capture the look and feel of this perfect of summer showers. 

It didn't last very long but it gave us an inch and a quarter of rain! How pretty it was, walking around the yard afterwards, admiring the effect. How glad I was that BD had just cut the grass - it was like velvet beneath my feet. 

Puddles collected briefly

Sun dappled the side of the house.

And raindrops glistened on blossoms. 

Everything was magically beautifully refreshed. And then the it was gone. The sun shone. Time clicked forward. So imagine my surprise, about an hour later, when suddenly the power just flickered and went off. Hey! No fair. If there is no lightening, no thunder and no wind, I want electricity!

Clam spaghetti was cooked by candlelight and eaten on the porch. We took an evening stroll on down the lane and when we got back - happy day - the lights were on.

It's been a rich summer for growing green things. I know Chesterfield Co. is dry. My sister says Powhatan Co. is too. I hope that ends soon, but this year, it's my turn for rain and I am mighty glad.