When the rain rolls in from the western Atlantic we can be enveloped for days. The greyness hangs over the whole island like a wet blanket. We struggle to communicate about anything but the weather.
Showers gather, deluges threaten, scattered downpours are aggravated by strong winds.
We laugh about towing the whole country a few degrees southward. We have the temperament of the Mediterranean countries but the weather of the Vikings. We like to think we are Cuba without the sun.
I try to remember the positives, the green it brings, the trees who thrive on it, the cosy pitter patter on the roof at night. But the worst effect has to be the absence of light. It can be scarce enough at the best of times but on these days I pine for it, scouring the sky for breaks of blue.
During a gap I head out for a short ramble. Everything is weighed down with watery raindrops. Full fat globules of liquid silver. One of the most precious commodities in the world. One of the scarcest human necessities in plentiful supply here, sparkling like garlands of jewels.
And I notice the smell of the land……soft, sweet and damp.
That 'after the rain' smell is wonderful isn't it? We get a lot of rain here in Lancashire too and it can be quite depressing at times. Your photos show the beauty of the rain which we all too often forget about
Thanks Margaret, I know only too well! Always worth trying to remember how good it can be:~)
Beautiful words and photos about these wet, grey days. We have them too in the Netherlands. Your raindrops look like pearls on the branches. And the smell particularly early in the morning is so earthy…..
I'm fortunate in that I don't suffer from lack of light in the winter – indeed, I enjoy the short afternoons which turn into cosy evenings. Raindrops – always lovely, though not always lovely to walk out in.
Like Lucy I don't have a problem with the lack of light in winter, in fact I welcome the long, dark evenings. The crisp, cold bright days of winter more than compensate for the grey, miserable days – and even those are fine if you can settle down with a good book or some knitting and a mug of hot chocolate:)
As always, I am mesmerized by your words ….. and beautiful images.
Like diamonds hanging cautiously along every thing they touch.
I took some pictures of spiders webs in the dew this morning and I'm really excited to see how they've come out.
Nina x
Looking forward to seeing them Nina:~)
I love the rain…somehow – I'm always comforted by it. And – what beautiful images…that truly speak to and embrace the feeling.
I love rain. Light pitter patter rain or large heavy thunderstorms. Unfortunately, after moving out west, I don't get to enjoy rain as much as I use to.
This is beautiful.. Thanks for sharing!
Your photos are magnificent and your words paint a picture all of their own.
When we were back in Ireland one summer my eldest boy came rushing into the kitchen one day. "Look, Mom, look," he exclaimed. "There's some blue sky." My little Kentucky boy found the gray skies of Ireland just a little dreary, but for me they are part of my childhood.
Poor little fella, I know exactly how he feels!
This captures the love of autumn evenings that I have that I struggle to explain to people!
I agree! It can be so pleasantly mild and damp:~)
Agreed…agreed…please can we be towed next to Madeira…?
Haha! Or the Canaries!
It's funny how, although we are oceans apart, our Islands are so similar. The familiar subject of weather is on Canadian lips all winter and spring. We too baost of of banana belt location compared to the rest of the country locked in northern weather.
What I do love about this weather is the opportunities it gives us to create inside with the fire going and tea in hand.
What beautiful thoughts on water, so true.
Pictures? Stunning!
Your post arrived at the perfect time! Our winter rain has begun, a month early. Marvelous photos that evoke the life giving goodness of the rain. Tahnk you!
You even make the rain look beautiful! Ireland wouldn't be so green without the rain. When we visited there one August the rain appeared out of nowhere and then disappeared as fast as it had arrived. Is this normal or was it just the time of year?
Sarah x
O very typical! As is every kind of weather in just one day:~))
One of the great things about photography is it makes us see beauty where we wouldn't look otherwise, in the drops of rain on a winter's day. Love your rainy day images, especially the web.
So love the spider web!
Catherine, I love the fat raindrops all over the plants and trees but it can take its toll…we have been lucky to have blue between the drops. But that could change anytime…I will be posting about rain next week. After this hot, dry summer we welcomed the rain.
Beautiful writing! I love that moment in the rain, where you stand still and for one or two glorious seconds, all other sounds cease and you just feel and hear the soft pitter patter. It never fails to send a shiver down my spine of delight!x
Lovely to come to your blog. It seems a place of beauty and serenity!
your photos are perfect images of rain in it's glory, & your prose is quite sweet as well! 🙂
Truly beautiful post and amazing pictures. Rain can be as beautiful and it can be miserable – your photos have caotured the sheer beauty.