Jumping in puddles

Puddle reflection, after the rain.

The rain began again.  It fell heavily, easily, with no meaning or intention but the fulfillment of its own nature, which was to fall and fall.

~ Helen Garner

Pouring.

Yesterday it rained and rained and rained.  And then it rained some more.  The ditches filled and then overflowed.  The paths in the woods became big puddles.  Even the driveway had a few small streams running through and over it.

It was a dark and gloomy morning.

I went out in the morning and sloshed and splashed through the puddles and streamlets created by an overabundance of water.  I watched the birds who seemed to be enjoying the opportunity to take a shower or bath before eating whatever had been washed up by the rain.  It was warm outside.  Almost spring-like.

A little ruffled by the rain.

Always jump in the puddles!  Always skip alongside the flowers.  The only fights worth fighting are the pillow and food varieties.

~ Terri Guillemets

Drippy.

For about an hour in the afternoon we had sunshine before the clouds drifted back in.

In the woods.

I think the birds enjoyed the sunshine just as much as the rain.  Maybe more so since it helped warm things up a little bit more.

Ripples in the clouds.

I went out to the dock at sunset where I found the clouds had a created a window.

A window to sunset.

After a while, the clouds shifted, as clouds do.

Sky painting.

I stayed for a little while longer, listening to the owls hoot back and forth and the red-winged blackbirds chatter as they settled in for the night.

Growing darker.

Sometimes I hustle back to the house too quickly, missing the real sunset show, the one that happens at the start of the night shift.  Usually that’s because I have to make dinner or I’m cold or I’m impatient or I think I’ve seen all there is to see.  But there is always more, if one is willing to wait.

Highlights.

Today turned into a beautiful day after a morning of heavy cloud cover, but I’ll have to tell you about that another time because I’m on my way back out to sit with the birds in the garden.  We bought some new bird feeders and put them up this afternoon.  I want to see who will show up for the evening meal.

She dances above.

Thank you for visiting, and taking another walk with me.  I hope you found some time to splash in the puddles along the way.  Meet me on the dock for sunset.  I think it’s going to be a good one.  Do I say that all the time?  That’s because they’re all good.  Tomorrow is going to be good, too.  Warm and sunny.  A day to work outdoors.  Sunset is at 5:11 PM.  As always, I’ll be there about fifteen or twenty minutes early with something for us to sip on while we wait.

Swans in flight. (A composite.)

Be good, be kind, be loving.  Just Be.  🙂

Three.

Today’s joys:  Communing with the birds; sitting on the bench by the lagoon and enjoying the sunshine, the wind, and the feel of the day; helping M with the laundry room renovation; a walk in the woods and out to the dock; splashing through the puddles left behind after yesterday’s rain.