A rainy day and Monday

Rain is falling straight down outside my third-floor room. The scene is just wonderful: a wide three-panel window revealing a small back yard with a very narrow inclined slope of brush leading into dense forest.

Now the wind has kicked up and the rain cooperatively shifted from vertical to a slight diagonal. Just as suddenly, the downpour settles into a serious drizzle, at an angle somewhere between the very strident right-to-left and the waterfall-like 90 degrees.

I’ve opened the window so I can take in sounds along with the sights . As I did so, I noticed the streetlights come on across the way – it’s dark enough for the light-sensitive switch to activate.

The not-so-distant sound thousands of raindrops striking thousands of leaves as water cascades down through the branches becomes stronger as their size and number increases.

Thunder interrupts the steady patter. It’s less likely that I’ll see lightening with all of the trees blocking my view. I’m hearing three forms of thunder: the sharp, bowling-alley shockers; the rolling, growling variety; and the someone’s moving furniture upstairs type.

I’m in the Midwest and can expect summer rain off and on for the next weeks – perhaps all the way into fall.

I don’t mind. The timing is sometimes better than other times. Today’s precipitation party is very well timed indeed. Not only did it wait until after weekend activities, which included a little barbecue action to celebrate Father’s Day, but it also waited until afternoon – allowing me to complete an outing before lunch.

I’m perfectly happy to be “trapped” in this grand building. I have many options ranging from staying alone in my room, to sitting by the fire downstairs, to joining other storm-lovers in an enclosed or open porch, to reading in the library with a view much like the one I’m enjoying now.

I know what my temporary neighbors will say when I join them: “It’s really coming down; but we sure do need it.”