Raining Down

/ Ann Coleman

I had been hoping for rain.  We had planted some bushes and put down some sod in our backyard, and I knew that a couple of good rains would help them take root.  But even more, I wanted the rain to wash away the nasty green tree pollen that has been covering every outside surface for the past couple of weeks.  I’m allergic to that stuff, and I was tired of going through my days with a scratchy throat, headache, itchy eyes and non-stop sneezing fits.  So when I heard the forecast for this past weekend’s rain, I was actually happy.

IMG_2434I should have paid just a little more attention to the details.  The prediction wasn’t just for rain, it was for tons of rain, falling for three days and two nights, often quite heavily.  The empty flower pots I have lined up next to garage, waiting to be filled with spring flowers, are now completely full of water instead.  My house and neighborhood is on high ground, but hundreds of people in my area are faced with flash floods, rising rivers, and water in their basements.  All I wanted was enough rain to water my plants and wash away the pollen.  But what I got was enough to make me think it might be time to start work on an ark.

It turns out that rainfall, like many things in life, is good only when it comes in moderation. Because as of today, I am officially sick of rain and more than ready for it to leave.  I am tired of constantly checking our basement to make sure no water is leaking in, or backing up through the sewer drain.  (We had that happen once and it is not an experience I wish to repeat.)  I am sick of feeling like a jerk when I make our old dog to go outside to do her business in the heavy rain, but not at all willing to risk her having an accident in my house.  I am well aware that the “drowned rat” look is not flattering on me, and so I would rather not walk around all weekend looking like one.

I’m not sure if the lesson here is “be careful of what you wish for,” or simply that “moderation is the key.”  Both adages have truth in them.  But at the end of a long, wet weekend, I think the real lesson for me is to simply learn to be more flexible and willing to deal with whatever the day happens to bring.  I might not have appreciated the rain, but being forced to spend the weekend inside did mean I finally got around to some household chores that had been hanging over my head for a while.  And since we couldn’t work outside, my husband and I decided to go to a movie at the local mall, followed by a nice dinner afterward.  It may not have been the weekend we had in mind, but it turned out to be a pretty good one.

There’s an old saying that states, “Into every life, some rain must fall.”  And I count myself lucky that all I had to deal with this weekend was actual rain, and that I was even spared the worst effects of that.  And when I think about it that way, I realize I really don’t have anything to complain about at all.

56 thoughts on “Raining Down”

  1. Great ending to that too, Ann. A timely reminder that perspective is key – whatever we’re going through, in the grand scheme of things – how bad is it really? Sometimes the answer will be ” yep, it’s bad” but for the most part, we’d be counting our blessings.

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  4. Life is so often feast or famine, I’m just about to write a blog about contrasts so hope you find it interesting. I have a wooden sign outside on my patio saying, ‘This too shall pass’ and it gets me through most things! Hope you have some sunshine soon.

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    • I like that saying! (I almost used it in this post, as a matter of fact.) And isn’t it odd how we do seem to move from one extreme to the other? I look forward to reading your posts on contrasts!

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    • I think you’ve just identified the problem: I overdid the rain dance! And honestly, I do wish there was a way to share some of our excess rain with the areas that so desperately need it. Maybe someday?

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  7. I was touring the back roads of the township yesterday – it was a grey, damp, windy day. It was nice to be able to get out on the roads that are closed during the winter, and only passable on foot or snow machine. As we passed a spot that I recalled as being gloriously beautiful on one of those winter tromps, I realized that I was missing the sunshine. It’s very difficult to see beyond the bleak and dismal when the sun isn’t shining.

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    • It does get a bit depressing, doesn’t it? Heavy rain hampers our ability to get out and about, but it doesn’t look nearly as nice as the snow. Still, I’m just grateful for not having to deal with the flooding as so many others are.

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  8. I’m glad to hear you are OK as that storm was devastating to some. We have had similar experiences down here after years of drought and praying for rain, we got floods. On the other hand, our water sources are full. I hate that pine pollen too. I wear a mask to sweep it up.

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    • I think I’m going to need to get a mask, I really do. And yes, the storm was horrible for so many people: tornadoes, flooded houses, roads under water. It was a huge storm and lasted far too long. I feel so badly for the people who are coping with it.

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  14. Consider yourself lucky that it wasn’t raining cats and dogs. And remember the saying, when it rains, it pours. Or: too much of a good thing. Well, I can see you recovered quite well from the downpour. Have a great week, Ann!

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  16. Our back property has been a swampland for weeks, totally challenging my usual walk schedule out there. Ugh. Sloshing around in the mud was not what I had in mind, but, I have to say, now that we’ve had a fraction of sunshine, the air smells sweeter, the flowers seem brighter….ah, the effects of winter….

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    • It is amazing what the Spring sunshine can do for our spirits, isn’t it? I’m hoping for lots of sunshine for both of us. (Or, given what happened when I wished for rain, maybe I should say, “I’m hoping for moderate amounts of sunshine for both of us!”)

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  18. Hi Ann! I think it’s hard not to let the weather impact our moods. We are part of the earth so it makes sense her moods affect us too. Here in New England it had been so darn dreary, hardly any sun, but not a lot of rain, either. My neighbor and I were commenting yesterday how droopy some of the trees and shrubs look. Anyhow, I’m glad you and hubby got a date night out of this-the silver lining in the clouds😊

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    • Thanks, Kim! It’s so good to hear from you again this past week! And I agree, when the earth is gloomy, so are we. Today we have sun and warmer weather, and I’m already feeling much more cheerful. I hope that you have great weather for you trips, and really look forward to hearing about it when you get back!

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  19. All I can say is, don’t move to England, Ann! Actually, our seasons have gone very strange, with consistently mild winters morphing into warmer, blue-skied springs; then summer comes, and with it . . . the rain. I like rain though; it makes me feel cosy. 🙂

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    • I’ve always wanted to visit England (I changed planes in London once, but that doesn’t count), but if I ever lived there, I think I would have some major adjusting to do. Still, I know what you mean about cloudy and rainy days. When I was a child, I actually liked the cloudy days better, because it seemed to me that they were special and the odds of something good happening were stronger. I have no idea why I felt that way, but I still don’t mind clouds and rain. In moderation, of course!

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  20. I too am tired of the rain, but for quite a different reason. I read in the paper today we’ve had a record number of rainy days since the water year started on Oct 1 – 149 days out of 212 (7 months) have had measurable rain. We’ve had 46 inches so far, compared to the usual 29.

    But at least it hasn’t all come at once.

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    • Yes, the problem here is it all came in one weekend, hence the flooding. But darn, that is a LOT of rain you have gotten! Wouldn’t it be nice if we were able to send some of it areas that are fighting drought? Sometimes I can’t help but think that Mother Nature isn’t always very efficient!

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  21. Yes, moderation is the key to most things in life but Mother Nature doesn’t seem to care about that. When she’s in the mood to dance she expects us to dance along with her even when we’ve had enough..:)
    We’re supposed to get several inches this weekend. It’s been a very wet April that is now extending into May. I guess we’ll have to pull out the “make lemonade line”😊
    Stay dry!

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    • We got a sunny, dry day yesterday, but it’s raining again today. Several major highways in the city are closed due to the flooding, which has snarled traffic everywhere. But as you say, Mother Nature will stop dancing only when she feels like it, so we have no choice but to cope! The “make lemonade” line is the only way to go: at least I don’t have to do yard work, and when it rains, I don’t suffer from the pollen! LOL!

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  22. 1) i apologize because I’m ridiculously behind on my blog reading.
    2) I’ve been really looking forward to tomorrow because we are supposed to get heavy rains and I’ m hoping the pollen will go away and I’ll look human instead of like a basset hound with my allergies.
    3) I love this post and after reading this I think that you are right….it really is true that we need ALL things in moderation.

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    • “A Bassett hound with allergies!” Not only is that an accurate description of what I have looked like for the past few weeks, but it is a terrific reminder of why I like your comments so much!

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  23. I love reading your posts Ann, your writing is so refreshingly down to earth but unlike the rain I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of it. Hope things are starting to dry out a bit and the flooding is easing, it’s always a worry when rivers start rising. Hope your hay fever’s eased as well, that’s never fun. Take care xo

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    • Thanks, Miriam! We were able to get out of town for a couple of days, and it seems as if the worst of the pollen is over. More importantly, no more rain in the forecast, which will be a huge relief to the people in the flooded areas. Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks for your support!

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  24. Looks like it took a week for your rains to head our way, but they are here now. However, despite the rain outside, I feel like the storm has passed. Like Miriam above, I wholeheartedly agree that your writing is a refreshing reprieve on what could otherwise be a dreary day.

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