Thursday, July 16, 2009

Creative Thunder

It's raining, it's pouring...and thundering like crazy too! With flashes across the sky that illuminated the road and front yard and left shadows that were wonderfully eerie in the darkness of this stormy night.

These kind of storms are difficult for me to even rest during, let alone sleep through so as this loud disturbance was racking our neighborhood with its light show I headed into the kitchen and plopped down at our table with pen and pad in hand. Listening to the fan in the window as it slowed with each gust of wind I contemplated what do read, write or simply revel in the wonders that are a thunderstorm.

Before I could think of anything the wind and rain began to press against our half-closed windows sending curtains flying and me rushing about lowering the window panes down to a crack to keep the room dry. The humidity fell in through those small openings and that sticky wet air formed beads of sweat despite the 70 degree temperatures.

I usually love the rain storms that come in the night because of the sounds and smells that accompany them. But I also like them because it can be a time to revel in the magic that is an evening's weather event. The flashlight like affect of the lightening is a great companion for reading a book or an evening scratching my thoughts onto pages of a journal.

These evening escapes from the normal summer night entertainment have often made for good memories over the years. The best thing about these summer escapes are they're mine alone because while others remain in their beds under covers while the rolling echos of thunder reverberate through the house I am enjoying a bit of time to myself. Though my bed may be calling, my love of the storm keeps me here in the kitchen.

My kitchen in such a storm is a special place to be for me because it really is a haven in this light show that is extraordinarily beautiful. It always seems to become a place where I can watch the many rivers of rain push past clumps in the lawn and through the thundering lights to become the shadows of a ghost story that I just have to get down on the page before me.

5 comments:

Dorothy said...

I remember in a suburb of Buffalo when the rain would hit the tar on the driveway and it would make bubbles in the tar and my sister and I would break them. It was wonderful...

Dorothy from grammology
grammology.com

Unknown said...

Thanks Dorothy! I love those kind of memories too.

Those memories of storms for me are in the forefront of much that is good. Sitting on the bed listening to storms role through, or watching lightening riddle the sky with those slices of light were just an amazing experience!

Nothing Profound said...

Sounds like you had a very special moment all to yourself and captured it so vividly. It rains a lot where I live and the rain has definitely influenced my thinking. One time I remember it was raining so hard the raindrops looked like thousands of tiny fleas hopping all over the sidewalk.

Expat From Hell said...

Hi, Ciss: I wanted to drop by and thank you for your terrific and inspiring contributions. Both in your blog here, as well as in your kind comments in mine!

Best to you.

ExpatFromHell

Kitchen Bounty said...

I love a good storm. Down here in NC, we have rain, but not a lot of "storms" like in MI. But we'll see what happens when we get the remnants of a hurricane!