It has rained every day this week and the next few days are looking no better. There has been no opportunity to go anywhere except to the Op Shop and yesterday out for a meal with friends. As I’m having trouble thinking about what to write about I thought it would be interesting to go back to June 2013 and see what I was writing about back then. What do you know? I was writing about the weather. I had just started joining in with the Daily Prompt and this one was about rain. It is interesting to look back considering that since I wrote this we’ve had drought conditions again and the terrible bushfires last summer.
Singing In The Rain
When I think of these words I immediately think of the famous scene in the movie of the same name where Gene Kelly dances in the pouring rain. It’s a catchy song but I have to say that on the few occasions I’ve been caught in a rainstorm and soaked to the skin I did not feel in the least like singing and dancing. Squelching along with sodden shoes and wet clothes sticking to you is no fun, especially if you know you have an hour long bus ride home to endure before you can get out of them. I can remember two or three occasions when it has happened to me and most of them seem to involve rained out sporting events.
However, I do enjoy listening to the rain when I’m snug and cosy at home. It feels good to be in a warm room or a warm bed listening to the rain thundering on the galvanised iron roof.
“It’s really coming down out there.” David and I used to say to each other.
“I’m glad we’re not out in it.”
Of course, there is more than just being grateful for our good fortune in having a roof over our heads. After a hot dry summer, it is wonderful to see how everything turns green again after a good rain.
Many people think that it rains all the time in Tasmania and parts of it are quite wet at times, but Hobart itself is the second driest capital city in Australia. Adelaide, where we used to live, is the driest.
There were drought conditions here for some years in the mid-2000s and the Midlands and east coast of Tasmania really suffered. Farmers had to put stock down because there was no feed. Lake Dulverton at Oatlands dried up completely. I was told that years ago they used to have sailing and even speed boat racing on Lake Dulverton, I have walked around the lake and seen the remains of moorings. There was even a sailing club and the building is still there. That year the lake itself reminded me of the cover of the Midnight Oil album “Red Sails In The Sunset” which showed Sydney Harbour with no water.
It would have made a great dirt bike track at that time.
Finally, there came a wet winter, it rained and rained. Gradually the lake filled and finally, in spring of 2009 it was full for the first time in many years. I remember visiting the lake around this time and seeing people rowing and fishing on the lake. That did make me feel like singing.
So even though I curse it when I get caught in it or when David used to spatter the washing with mud with his car or I fell over in the garden I really do love the rain because it brings new life.
It’s just two weeks ago when I was caught in a rainstorm with thunder. A sunny day without clouds. Perfect for hiking I thought. Out of a sudden, a few dark clouds appear on the horizon. But it’s still like a summer day and I continue. A few minutes later I got a heavy shower. I was wet like I went to bathe. I don’t trust my camera bag (It has no zipper, and is a bit open on the sides), I always have a yellow garbage bag in the pocket of the bag. So, the camera goes into the garbage bag and then into the camera bag. I always questioned the perfectionism and wondered if I ever would need the garbage bag. But I guess I was right. It’s good to have this in the bag as second protection for heavy rain where things get drenched.
Anyway, I like the rain too. I like how wet grass or plants smell. I like how a wet street smells. I like the smell of wet air. And I’m like you because when I’m inside and it’s raining outside, I find that very cozy. The sound of raindrops on the window is soothing.
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Of course, the camera goes only into the plastic bag if it’s raining. But this happened the first time now. From now on I know it makes sense 😀
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It’s a sensible precaution and an easy one to take.
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Just for your amusement, Gene Kelley had the flu when he made that scene. He probably didn’t want to do it either. We’ve been having years of drought and now we have full rivers and it never stops raining.
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He was a trooper, you wouldn’t have guessed it.
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