Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Rain!


Did I mention lately that we've gotten a bit of rain? I don't know how much for sure at my house since I don't keep accurate records, but a lot for August. Oh, I've got a rain gauge, but I'm not scientific about it. Yesterday, though, it said we got a whopping 4.5 inches. And, best as I can remember, that's the 3rd big rain(measured in inches) in as many weeks.

We get into really big trouble here in Raleigh when we have heavy rains in August and then hurricane force winds decide to follow. Praying for a lack of tropical development this season!

I can't help but remember Hurricane Fran on September 5, 1996 and what she did to our prized oak trees. They don't call Raleigh the City of Oaks for no reason. We have a lot of trees! Hurricane Fran left behind about 10 inches of rain, many downed trees, us without power for a week, and huge mess to clean up. It's an experience I can do without repeating. Even 14 years later, you can see the tree damage if you walk in the woods.

Coming home from school this morning, the debris on the road at Barber Bridge caught my eye. Wow, the water had been up over the bridge and onto the road over night. I turned around to go back and take a few pics.

Now, I think kids jumping in puddles with adult supervision is great fun, but I think going near rushing water on foot or in a car is extremely dangerous. Just a friendly remember to STAY CLEAR. I was on dry asphalt behind the cement bridge wall when I took these.

The view to the west.


The view to the west 1 year ago. You can see how much lower the water is. The bank is visible, and the branches hanging down aren't in the water.

The view looking east.


The view 1 year ago looking east. Besides the water being lower, you will see that it is very smooth and has very little movement. Also, the water is more green. Above it is filled with sediment and more brown.


An artsy shot of the water looking east.


The bridge looking toward Rock Service Station Road.


The view looking toward Hwy. 42. Notice all the debris in the road.


I also took a couple of videos this AM so you can hear and see how fast the water was moving.






The sun is out today, and hopefully we will dry out just a tad. And, wow, can it be that it is only 70 right now?!? I'll take it!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Puddle Splashing

It all started with the red galoshes...

When I was a little girl growing up in Trenton, NJ, I remember enjoying the rain with my Dad, and I remember my red galoshes. Trenton gets about 45 inches of rain each year and certainly has it's fair share of gray and wet days to go along with the gray clay soil.

I always remember my Dad loving rainy days. There was something special to him about the sound of the rain on the roof, the indoor activities we'd do on those days, and those priceless walks in the rain with our umbrellas and my red galoshes.

(We won't discuss the ping pong balls in the basement going into the sump pump or having to get out the push broom to push the water in the cellar over to the sump pump to begin with.)

I remember my Mom protesting with full anxiety about me getting my clothes wet, and my Dad calmly telling her not to worry; he'd clean me up. Off we'd go out the door, umbrellas in one hand and hand in hand in the other. Me at 3' and Dad at 6'3". Just walking and splashing and talking as if we had the world to ourselves.

Although my photography these days has me doing a lot of wishing for sunny days and blue skies, I still have a great fondness for those precious rainy days where the world seems secure with just me and my Dad walking in the rain.

Since Dad took all the pics at our house, there are no pics of me and him in the rain. Oh how I wish there were. There is a picture of me and the red galoshes, though.


Jump to the present...

It really poured while we were grocery shopping today, and as we drove home from Fuquay, Johnny started asking to go puddle splashing when we got home.

A few years ago, on a Blaze doggie walk after a big rain storm, Johnny happened to be with me, and he just happened to automatically do what all little kids do with puddles...jump in them whether Mom wants them to or not. It was like a blast back to the past as I ignored how wet he was getting and enjoyed how delighted he was with himself for getting wet in the puddles. A new tradition was born that day this time between a Mom and her son. Many rains and puddles since, the tradition lives on...

So, Johnny and I did end up out in the rain. I had the umbrella to protect my camera and my curls (ha!), and Johnny ran without a worry into every puddle he could find and enjoy. After 2.5", there certainly was no shortage of standing water. He started singing, and I continued with him several times, "Hi Ho Hi Ho It's off puddle jumping we go..."


Johnny even had a surprise today and discovered earth worms. This kid has no fear of insects and other critters outside.

I hope some day when I'm a Grandma I get an e-mail from Johnny with a picture he took of his little girl or boy out splashing in the rain puddles... And, the tradition will live on.

A super cute video of today's adventure is on YouTube.



All the pics from today are here. There are plenty more puddle splashing and jumping pics and a few more videos too.

My July 2009 blog post about Johnny in the puddles is here.