Thunderstorms

Today I am grateful for a beautiful day outside.

I live in a part of the city with clear skies and a view of the mountians and that is pretty great.  Not everyone is so lucky.  Even if I don't get to be out on the porch appreciating my view, it is nice to know that it is always there for me.  I see out the windows and it's like a shot of sugar right to the mood sensors!

I was able to open the windows to let in some fresh air!  I love a hot day, but my husband prefers it to be in the 70s in our apartment when he comes home, so letting the windows open when it's stormy allows fresh air without making the air conditioner run for a few hours straight to make up for it.

I do like thunderstorms in general, and especially thunderstorms in the summertime.  There is no foreboding fear letting you know that summer is over when it's an early August rain--I know it will be warm again tomorrow and for a few dozen days after that, so there is nothing to do but enjoy the warm smell of rain in the air, the sound of rain outside your window, and the clear skies after the rain is over.  It even improves the view by washing away air pollution.

There's something about thunderstorms.  Children's stories often depict rainy days as a sad thing.  I guess there's something different between a "rainy day" and a "long thunderstorm" because I've always liked them.  There's something exciting about waiting for the surprise crack of lightning and the snap of thunder that does something to warm a primal part of my heart.  My mom once took all 6 of us kids for a walk in a warm rainy afternoon like this one.  I got to stomp in puddles and come back soaked! 

May the temperature be just right to have your windows open, and may all your rainy days have thunderstorms.