Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head

Thunderstorm near Entiat.

One of my favorite things to do, ever since I was a child, is to sit outside and watch a summer thunderstorm. I'm not exactly sure what it is that makes it so wonderful, but there is just something about it, the heat and the rain and that slight taste of electric charge in the air, that makes me feel peaceful. It gives me a sense of calm and apparently it puts me in a really good mood.

My windshield at a gas station near Missoula.

I say that because it seems like every time Les and I go somewhere and have, not just a great time, but an amazing time, it's raining. I can't ever remember rain ruining something we wanted to do. The only time I can remember the two of us doing something together and not liking the rain is when we moved across the country. It rained across the entire state of Montana (which is a really big-ass state) and then on and off for the rest of the Midwest. And as much as I hated driving in the rain at night through driving-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-freeway-construction, the experience wouldn't have been the same without more than 1,000 miles in the rain. It gives the story just a little bit of umph. 

Water collected in alpine lupine leaves on Devil's Spur, May 2010.

The best hiking trip I've ever been on was the Devil's Spur trail near Wenatchee. Les and I had different days off every week and we didn't often do fun things together. But he took some time off on my day off and we went hiking. It was raining the whole time and very foggy, a true northwest experience. We were both fascinated by the leaves of the alpine lupine plants and how the water collects in them. It led to a great conversation about evolution, survival and leaves. To date it is one of the best days Les and I have ever spent together. There was no thunder and lightning, pretty uncommon in Washington, but the rain and fog definitely added to the atmosphere of the experience.

Tree leaning over a cliff in the fog, Devil's Spur.

And it's not just rain at home that makes me happy, it works on vacation too. In October of 2009 Les and I went to Vancouver, B.C. We attended a U2 concert, which would have been extremely awesome regardless of the weather. But the next day we explored the city and spent a great deal of time in Stanley Park. It was drizzling the entire trip, we took the scenic route and it started just while we were on the North Cascades Highway and didn't stop until we hit Blewett Pass on the way home. It was a wonderful trip and the rain was perfect to give the park that classic Pacific Northwest (or since it was Canada I suppose it would be Southwest) feel. It was never too hot and it never really got cold, perfect vacation weather.

That's not to say that I don't like the sun, because I do. You know those really hot, dog days of summer that people complain about? I love those days! But my favorite part of summer will always be standing outside in an electrical storm. 

Les displaying Canada's claim to fame in the rain