by Shel Silverstein

I opened my eyes
And looked up at the rain,
And it dripped in my head
And flowed into my brain,
And all that I hear as I lie in my bed
Is the slishity-slosh of the rain in my head.

I step very softly,
I walk very slow,
I can’t do a handstand–
I might overflow,
So pardon the wild crazy thing I just said–
I’m just not the same since there’s rain in my head.

Rainy days are ideal for catching up on ironing, among other things.

We had some desperately needed rain so you can see what I chose to do with my indoor time. There are a number of ways I’ve taken after my mother or have gained appreciation for the simple things, as she also did. Laundry, in all its stages, is something I’ve gained a heightened appreciation for thanks to my mother’s loving influence.

I’ll admit that ironing may have been lower on the appreciation totem pole compared to the washing and especially to the hanging out on a clothesline, and that heavenly scent from fresh-air dried laundry, but ironing still has a place on that laundry totem pole.

And so, while listening to the falling rain, catching up on ironing, and thinking of my mother and our shared simple pleasures, I was warmly satisfied in a way that daughters may be.

“It is the sweet, simple things of life that are the real ones after all.” — Laura Ingalls Wilder

So dear friends, what emotions or memories does a rainy day conjure up in your mind?

 

5 thoughts on “rainy days”

  1. We don’t have many rainy days in Phoenix. A lot of people love it here when it rains but I don’t. I guess growing up in the midwest where it rained pretty much everyday it didn’t snow gave me my fill.

    By the way, I love your Barbara Kingsolver quote.

  2. I too use rainy days to catch up on things around the house or to just have a “do nothing” (translated: do whatever I want to do!) day.

    We are having a very strange (but MUCH appreciated) end to summer, as each day has been in the low 80’s and just gorgeous. No rain or temperature change in sight until next week, so I am taking full advantage of that. It’s strange though that in spite of the warm sunny weather, the leaves are changing and falling very, very quickly this year. I do hope that some will hang around for some photos!

    Have a wonderful week, my friend!
    xo.

  3. I love the rain especially when I am able to be out in it. It always looks worse through a window!

    I enjoyed your poem.

  4. Weather in my area is (mostly) dry and warm at present…

    but on my afternoon walk yesterday I was serenaded

    by the sound of many, many acorns
    pinging through through the branches
    and rattling leaves on the trees
    (somewhat like rain, or hail),

    and occasionally punctuated
    by louder bumps and thumps
    marking a lone walnut’s descent
    to the ground…plonk!

    Random louder rustling of leaves, perhaps,
    marked a short sudden gust of wind…
    or a squirrel’s leap,
    tho’ I never saw one on the branch.

    It’s likely to continue warm, maybe edging into hot, and dry during the days, and cooler in the evenings for the next couple of weeks – relatively ‘normal’ for this month in Southwest Virginia.

    And, I send a belated ‘thank you!’ for your story of the piano moving.

    It reminds me to think of the old, heavy, upright piano we donated some years ago.

    DH went running out another door to help the men from the thrift store transfer it through our front door to the sidewalk, tripped over a piece of exercise equipment (also being donated), and executed a wondrous-to-behold series of giant steps at great speed – with only two or three steps in the flower bed, culminating in a tuck and roll in our postage-stamp front yard. At which point I was howling with laughter (DH wasn’t hurt! He missed the apple tree trunk!), and the men from the thrift store were aghast. I’m not sure if they were more upset by my laughter, or worried that DH was seriously hurt…

    Ahem.

    And again, thanks for your sharing!

  5. Oh! Don’t tease me!The spring season here is harsh and dry;we’ll not see good rain for weeks yet.
    But I love to hear its many different sounds.Tympanic on the iron roof,whispery through pine needles,slopping and sploshing in puddles.
    We are, after all, from watery beginnings…

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