April 21st, 2020

So much for the "Sunshine" State epithet.  We have had a spate of gloom lately.  And this is what I have to say about that, Bah!

Actually, I don't mind an occasional grey day.  After all, I spent a lot of years in New England so I know how to bring my own sunshine to the room.  And here, it's kind of a nice break in routine to have a  grey day once in awhile.

But what we've had lately isn't just the quietude of a Heathcliffe on the Moors kind of day when making soup and curling up on the sofa with a good book is in order. No.  What we've experienced the past few days has been unfulfilled promise and frankly it's kind of ticking me off.

Y'see, it's not just grey, it's been grey and humid.  And then the sky goes from grey to really dark grey.  And the wind picks up. And we think...yay, rain coming!  And then...and then...and then...it's doesn't. The wind dies down and the darkness fades a wee bit and it's still grey and muggy and buggy and bah.

Winter here is the dry season.  And sometimes the dryness gets a little carried away.  Sometimes all the way to actual drought conditions.  Kind of hard to wrap your brain around right?  Florida has droughts?  I was as shocked as you are believe me.  It happens, to some degree, every year around this time.  And right now, according to the newspapers we are experiencing a big time drought.  "Worst one in fifty years" according to the headlines and of course we always believe the headlines (not). But regardless of where it stands on the taBle of droughts, it's still a drought.  

So the promise of rain was enticing.  And when, day after day, it didn't happen, I was feeling kind of gypped.   I postponed walks because I didn't want to get caught out in what seemed to be a looming storm that never happened.  We rushed through outside chores rather than relax and take our time so that we would not get drenched in what was clearly going to be a gullywasher of a rainstorm except that it vanished like a magicians trick.  After awhile I was so irritated by carrying around an umbrella anytime we knew we would have to spend time outside (like waiting our turn to get inside Home Depot for instance) which turned out to be unnecessary , grrrrrrr.

So yesterday, I took my walk in the early morning. Partly to avoid the worst of the humidity and partly so that I would absolutely get my walk in.  I brought in the garbage and recycle bins and the newspaper.  I debated watering my flowers and looked skyward once again.  It seemed as if we were poised right on the lip of a thunderbanger of a storm if the sky were anything to judge it by.  

I texted with a friend who lives just north of Tampa and it was raining there.  I talked on the phone with my sister who lives only a half hour north of me and it was raining there.  I looked out our windows. Nothin'.

Finally, by late afternoon, I stepped back outside with my camera.  The sky was chalky and the wind had picked up, once again.

There was not a bird or a bunny or a lizard in sight.  Woohoo!  Maybe, finally, the rain is really coming??  Or is this just another fake-out???  I went back inside to fold laundry and empty the dishwasher.

At long last, I heard some delicate tapping on the roof indicating yes, rain had finally really actually showed up!  I rain outside with my camera once again.  It started out with just some very delicate tiny drops but picked up speed and intensity quickly.  Inside the sound went from tapping to full on drumming.  It was glorious!

It didn't rain very long but it was a good soaker.  A few hours later the rain began again.  And it appears to have rained on and off all through the night.  Awesome!  

Finally!

Everything green is doing a happy dance today.  The sky is blue and the sun is shining once again.

And me?  Well, I have to remember that Mother Nature always fulfills her promises just maybe not on my timetable.  I forget once in awhile who is in charge here.  Hint;  It's not me.