Rain Barrels are Gushing, Frogs are Singing and All Is Well...

This weekend was forecast to be pretty much "rain free" unlike all of the "rain filled" days we've been having for months now, but that has turned out quite differently than the weather guy predicted. Once again my rain barrels are gushing, my little potager garden is full of drowning seedlings and a choir of frogs are singing their favorite songs all around the property.

I happen to like rain. It's always given me a sense of coziness and restfulness, and an excuse for doing nothing. Like a guilt-free pass for a reading day, a chick-flick in my p.j.'s or cookie baking. There's nothing quite like a rainy day. 

Today, being given that "free pass", I am sitting on the back porch with a stack of books, the old dinosaur laptop and my CharlieBeanDog who is sound asleep next to me. As usual, I found myself in the middle of a memory about rain and my childhood that I have repeated to my children a gazillion times, and now I will share it with you..  

I have talked before about being raised by a single Mother. My Mom was cool on a bunch of goofy levels that my friends parents weren't and not so cool in ways theirs were, but sometimes she allowed me to do some pretty amazing stuff. One of them had to do with RAIN.

Even as a child I loved the rain. I always wanted to be outside in it. Of course this was crazy thinking in South Florida, the lightening strike capital of the U.S.. Somewhere along the line, I had read or seen on T.V. that when you are in a car you are grounded and therefore safe from being struck by lightening. I of course began to pitch the idea to my Mother that I should be allowed to sit in the car during rain storms, in the safety of our driveway, where I could watch the storm and be outside in it while safe from it. I am not sure what shifted in the cosmos, but one day she said "Yes". In actuality, it was probably to get me off her back for a while. It would be like sending me to another room and closing the door, instead of kids pent up inside on a rainy day. BRILLIANT !

Well, with my pillow, a book & blanket off I went to my safe-house to watch the storm roll in. It was a gift I have never forgotten. I spent that amount of time hearing the rain beating against the metal roof of the car, watched the lightening flash and eventually fell sound asleep to the glory of the whole experience.  Pretty exciting stuff for an elementary school kid. I think that took a little Towandatude on both our parts, Thanks Mom !

Now, as I sit on our screened porch with the thunder rolling, and rain pouring down, it would seem to me that this is the grown up version of sitting in Mom's Pontiac Catalina. What a treat this is and I am so thankful for it. Wherever you find yourself this weekend in whatever weather, conjure up a happy memory and enjoy !

Many Blessings, TowandaGal

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