acacia blossoms

acacia blossoms

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Rain rain rain


Rain rain rain. Soft rain that plumps up my skin and frizzes up my hair. Gentle misty rain that makes the grass blades reach up and shimmer in dayglo green bedecked with diamante rain drops. The sky is like a flat sea with rolling waves of grey. The breeze is a drink of cold fresh water. The earth softens like a giant sponge. Dassies shelter under rocky shelves, their woolly faces poking out – watching me.

Big rain comes with drama. Crushing heat that sucks the moisture from our bodies, squeezing our brains, flattening us out with a gravitational pull. Giant boiling thunderheads that loom menacingly playing with the light – shining white and growling purple at the same time. Electricity crackles in the air, flashing against our retinas – we silently beg the rain to come, but so often the thunderheads cruise by. We wait our turn.

When it comes, big fat raindrops pelt the roof like a hail of stones. The release of tension is palpable. The smell of wet earth strong and heady. Water collects, runs off the roof, runs along the ground turning roads into rivers, filling the dams. A long awaited rainstorm is a wonderous thing.

When you are waiting for rain its hard to believe there are parts of the world where people sigh and say “oh no its raining again”. Too much rain here brings floods which are cleansing and destructive. When the rains are late though and we watch the land laid bare; leaves and grasses wither and die; livestock shrink to skin and bones; boreholes dry up – we are reminded that water is life. That you cannot make it when it isn’t there.

So today I am paying homage to the rain gods for today is soft and cool with gentle rains that soak the ground to the roots of all growing things. And I am thinking of those elsewhere in Africa who watch the skies anxiously for their turn – hoping it gets there soon.

23 comments:

Tessa said...

Pure poetry, your homage to rain. You write like a dream scribe..conjuring up images and sensations that are at once familiar, but also exotic and compelling. I'm in awe....

karen said...

wonderful Val, I can feel and experience it completely, and vividly! rain dance was obviously a good one :-)

Angela said...

Why am I always getting shivers down my spine when I read your posts, Val!! You are a magic writer, I bow in wonder! Now send all this long-needed rain on to Janelle`s! (We are expecting some tonight, but at 1° C, bringing us shivers of the other kind!

Val said...

tessa - thanks so much for the encouragement - you are very kind!x

karen - yes for once we got the steps right hehe.

Angela- i hope they are good shivers, and i hope Janelle is getting rain now. stay safe and warm.

xxV

Reya Mellicker said...

It's always a good thing to honor the weather gods.

Where you live, nothing is subtle, is it? All events, in the world of weather, the land, the vegetation and the animals is so BIG. Wow.

Fire Byrd said...

beautifully written, so atmospheric. I'd gladly send you some of our rain we always have some to spare in the north of England.
xx

Lori ann said...

That was so beautiful Val, i have a perfect picture in my mind! i hope you get just the right amount! can i sign my name to tessa's comment, well everyone comments, they all say it so well! I love the dassies! Sweet little things...
Xxx Lori

Anonymous said...

Oh Val, I can smell the rain. Heady.
Like others have said, you write so beautifully. Thank you.

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

Your writing is pure magic. The images, the smells, the feelings are conveyed almost better than if the reader were actually sitting in your shoes.

Beautiful.

Val said...

Thanks everyone for your kind words. The beauty of nature is all around us and mostly thats where i prefer to put my focus! maybe a copout but not all bad if you enjoy it too?

Val said...

Reya - there is a lot of drama but i must look for the subtle stuff too. thanks for the reminder :-)

Fire byrd - thanks we need more to fill the dams and see us through the dry. bring it on ..

Lori Ann - the dassies are cute - strange to think they are related to elephants..

Rob - its one of the best smells .

CBW thanks and i have much to learn from yours!

xxxV

Anonymous said...

I love the picture of the elephant. Digressing slightly, but there is a wonderful series on television on Sunday nights about the lives of elephants in Africa.

As for the rain, yes we have a lot at the moment but it's keeping the fields watered which is our main lively hood.

CJ xx

Janelle said...

still waiting! ouf! i can literally smell the rain in that picture and in your writing...! beautiful. xx j

e said...

I've read your blog for months because the writing and photos always draw me in. Thanks so much.

Val said...

CJ - no answers only what it seee

Janelle - thought of you writing thisxxx such a small snippet compared to yours- addicted to yours
xx

e - have to check out yours - I thought i was obtruce..............
.........

Val said...

erm that should read 'obtuse' and a ref to the very small and private name of 'e' - no offence I hope? back to school for me....

e - thanks for leaving a comment this time :-) and for visiting. please come back!

e said...

Val,

I always enjoy your Blog and I am not sure why you felt obtuse. You certainly are not. You write well about wonderful things...a joy to read.

Val said...

thanks e :-)

pink dogwood said...

What a beautiful write up. I spent my childhood in India and I can relate to what it feels like, waiting for the monsoons :)

Anonymous said...

I gave your blog an award!
http://24hoursisneverenough.blogspot.com/2009/01/ohhhh-ahhhhh-shiny.html

e said...

I love ellies! They are majestic!

Val said...

CJ - my comment to you above makes no sense at all...what was i thinking....typing in the dark maybe??sorry. Should have read thanks for your comment. we are elephant fans too. its good to hear someone who is happy with their quota of rain - usually its too much or too little or none!! x

Pinkdogwood - a monsoon in India must be even more dramatic?

Meredith - thanks for the award - will get onto the Honest Scrap thing :-)

e - ellies are very cool

xxV

seneca fox said...

What a wonderful way with words! Beautiful...

MMM