Oh, will you look at that gleaming city all spread out in the early light? All of the glassy buildings glittering in the deep shadows of morning. This is what I see every morning on my way to school. On this particular Friday as I drove I thought of the rain headed our way across the choppy Pacific.
It’s all everyone is talking about, but estimated time of arrival keeps getting pushed back. Late afternoon,” someone says. “Not till midnight,” says someone else. I moved my umbrella from the trunk to the backseat as an act of good faith. And…it DOES impart a sense of moving in the right direction.
Seeing clouds in the sky is so startling. Yesterday when they first began to appear the kids didn’t know what to make of it. “LOOK!” they all screamed when I picked them up from lunch. “CLOUDS!” We all stood staring up at the sky. Necks craned back as far as possible. A sea of rainclouds loomed overhead. “Is a storm coming?” one of them asked.
“Yes,” I answered, “A giant one. We’re probably going to have to spend the night at school.”
“FOR REAL?!” several kids shout excitedly. “Where will we sleep?”
I tell the kids I have brought tents that we’ll pitch in the classroom. 4 to a tent. I get my own.
“What will we eat?”
Frog legs.
Flash forward to this evening. Nary a drop, but the skies looked promising late this afternoon. Sort of. Although, I don’t think these are rain clouds.
Definitely not Storm of the Century clouds.
How bitter my disappointment when I saw these insubstantial wisps circling above my house early this evening.
More visual journal pages from autumn 2005.
Clouds are never far from my mind.
There’s such mystery in clouds. Sometimes I catch myself looking up…and a little spark of shock (and disappointment) shoots through me when I realize that I don’t even look UP every day. Lovely photos.
I’m a long time lurker, and this is the first time I’ve commented, even though I love your art and your posts. But I just wanted to say, I grew up in Los Angeles, and this particular post, and the pictures, and the story of waiting for the rain… it just really touched me in a way I can’t really explain. It’s like a little taste of home. Thank you for sharing.
I was going to name my daughter Raina(how’s THAT for a rain tribute??!!!), but Mr. Micah came along in her stead.
If it rained every day, I would not be depressed, I’d be….well?…..hydrated.
…and happy.
Here’s to RAIN and your lovely photos, work and the jiggity jag of your words across the page. Never fails to make me happy….like the rain makes me happy.
ooxx
Lisa H
your photography…your artwork!!! oh…it’s wonderful. that skyline…amazing!
Such a feeling of expansiveness…these big sky, clouds. So glad to read your rain CAME!!!! Am soaking it up with you!
surely you got some sprinkles last night? I very much enjoyed the altered books. And a wonderful job with the perspectives of the sky shots
I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now.
From up and down, and still somehow
It’s cloud illusions I recall.
I really don’t know clouds at all.
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I’ve been cloud watching too Mary Ann – building up over Santa Catalina – then obscuring the island with all their hopeful anticipation of precipitation…no rain YET, but I am continually watching the radar and will run to the French doors when it does…to inhale the wonder of it all!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your post and photos! (I’ll have photos of clouds over the ocean on my blog 🙂
Oh, the poignant skyward glances, the sad anticipation of that which is not forthcoming. Although we are dry here momentarily (with possible showers in the morning) I can feel the deluge of late fall creeping our way and when it comes I hope you are here to enjoy it. Soggy, mildewy, green, squelchy rain. Bring your umbrella and wellies; you’ll surely need them.
xoxo
from an Oregon Duck!
I can so relate to how you feel about the lack of rain. It’s the same in AZ…and they keep saying we’ll get some late tonight and into tomorrow…but having heard that CA didn’t get any, I’m doubtful of us getting any…
I love how you told the kids they’d have to stay in tents at the school and that you’d all eat frog legs…I would’ve loved to see their faces upon hearing that news… 😉
this – is a really beautiful post – xox – eb… again.
oh Mary Ann – I look up at the clouds every day – all day long – they speak the language of external internals – oh yes dear one – I understand this – and holding the clouds in the palm of one’s hand… oh speak to me drums of destiny…
xox – and great love and admiration – you do so inspire MA…
eb.