The Sound of Rain

The rain sounds so nice. Its continuous murmur rises and falls with the intensity of the rain, punctuated with drips and the gurgle of the (unclogged) gutters. Storms are exciting, but this rain is an adagio. It calms and soothes; it is the kind of rain that is good for sound sleeping and thoughtful activities and loved by plants.

It falls steady and slow, allowing the summer-dry ground to soak it up. The trees hold out their twigs and remaining leaves as if letting the rainwater run through their fingers, precious substance that it is. On our drive through the rainy Cascades last week the great fir forest was rejoicing in the wetness and mist. Some of my readers may not be in the Pacific Northwest - odd thought that. Our summers are very dry and sunny - that is the well-kept secret. My first summer here I was out with my backpack every weekend and never got wet!

Now the streams and rivers are rising from their summer lows as the groundwater levels rise. And for the mountains there is a prediction of snow. When next the "mountains are out", we will see glistening white tops. That snow, feeding the mountain glaciers and melting slowly in the spring, is what keeps our mountains green, our rivers flowing,  our fields and vineyards fruitful, and our tap water delicious.  My friends, do what you can to prevent climate change - there is so much at stake.