Beloved, let us once more praise the rain.
Let us discover some new alphabet,
For this, the often praised; and be ourselves,
The rain, the chickweed, and the burdock leaf,
The green-white privet flower, the spotted stone,
And all that welcomes the rain; the sparrow too,—
Who watches with a hard eye from seclusion,
Beneath the elm-tree bough, till rain is done. .

~ Excerpt from “Beloved, Let Us Once More Praise the Rain”

It’s not raining when I wake. I heard Frank slip out the door with my daughter at 4:30 a.m. to take her to the airport and I stayed awake long enough to register gratitude. I swam under the clouds in the pool and it wasn’t until the end of my swim that the rain came, a light rain that fell in a lovely beat on my back. I swam my mile and felt great. Then, Charlie wanted his walk, of course. So we went to the river and brook in the green wetness. Raindrops pelting the water. A very pleasant soaking. And a house quiet day, some work done. Working on my Ukrainian support group article. Then, late afternoon, a friend’s graduation (doctorate!) party in the rain! Under a tent, and the rain fell hard and it was cold, my feet freezing in my sandals. A terrific time, and rain was the star of the show. So sweet to be with old friends, relaxing and celebrating outdoors in June in such unfortunate weather.