Summer rain

I love the sound of rain. It soothes my soul in a deep down way. It calms my nerves. It brings me joy.

Rain reminds me of wet childhood afternoons spent in blanket tents reading or playing in the puddle-covered grass. In Indonesia we had months of rain – monsoons that swept across the city with violence, thunder and lightening, wind that blew down huge trees and downpours that flooded gutters and yards. But when the rain was gentle and loving, we could play in it for hours. Certainly, the air cooled, but it was still warm enough to play, to run and climb, to invent games of living in the Okefenokee Swamp (thank you, Burl Ives!).

Here in Colorado’s summer, our rains are quite different. The clouds build over the mountains and the moisture they drop dramatically cools the air. I mean - really cools the air. In Colorado, kids don’t play in the rain much. It is just too cold. The water, the air, the grass. But in the summer months, when our days are plenty hot and few of us have air conditioning, I love our afternoon rains. 

They're usually accompanied by huge clouds, at least some thunder and lightening, but the rain itself is usually quiet, gentle and short-lived. And then the sun breaks through and everything just sparkles. Crisp, cool air blows in the windows, and the birds resume their song. It's quite  beautiful.

Rain makes me want to stop everything – turn off the tv, the phone, stop everything … and sit on the porch.

What do I love about rain? Why, just about everything!

… shining, leathery leaves on trees

… gray clouds that build, then burst

… the sounds of dripping eaves

… the calm that settles over my soul and says to me, “Rest.”

Summer

It's hot outside. The sun is blaring down as you walk to the swimming pool. The clear blue water laps quietly against the beautiful tile on the pools' edge, designed so there's no lip - just the shining squares of color, then the water itself. It's like a mirage. You dive in and the water is perfect - neither too hot nor too cold. It slides over your body like a cool sheet on a hot night, and you're immediately relived. The colorful umbrellas and tables sit like small oases around the pool, towels draped here and there, floppy hats and books scattered, too. You emerge from the water and the breeze cools your wet skin.

Ah, summer in the water.

Not many of us in Colorado have pools - in fact, I don't know one person who does. My neighbor has a small kiddy pool in which she soaks her feet. :) Some folks join neighborhood or city pools, and that must be delightful. As for myself, I have a rather elaborate fan and drapes system that keeps my non-airconditioned house remarkably cool in these hot months. I'm thankful for that! No cake baking, though. No roasting of meat. The most use my stove gets is making jam when the fruit is just too irresistible. Lots of salads and meat grilled outside, farmers' market fresh fruit and veg.

It's funny - each season's flavors. In a few months, I'll be roasting squash and baking bread. And then winter will roll around with lots of soups and braised meat. But for today, it's going to be tuna salad with diced celery, bread and butter pickles, maybe some radishes, too - all on a bed of cool lettuce. Simple and delicious on a hot day.