One thing there has not been an absence of this summer, at least in these parts, is rain. Just about every weekend and days in between there seems to be a storm and not much time for things to dry out before it starts up again. The backyard is very green but has little time to dry out between mowings. Not that I particularly love mowing but I know how difficult it is when it gets long, especially on the edges of the leech field where it naturally grows fast.



On a night like tonight the storms come in waves with rain so heavy you can't see out the windows. At least it isn't a Tanglewood night. All those people on the vast lawns ready to enjoy a concert and the skies open up and the lightning cracks across the sky. I have been to concerts there when they actually had to take a break because the sound of the rain on the roof was so loud that it was drowning out the orchestra and the lightening has people scurrying for cover. Tonight would have been one of those nights.



The configurations of the mountains and valleys can make these storms even stranger. It could be a downpour here with blazing lightning, yet across town or a few towns away it is completely dry with just some lightning in the distant sky.


So this will be one of those summers remembered as not being much of summer, at least from the weather perspective. Not much heat and lots of rain. Some of the flowers have had just about enough. The petunias never having enough time to dry out are looking brown and withered. The basil in the pot is holding its own but not growing much beyond replacing to few pieces picked off. The front side of the house, continually in need of painting from the southern exposure, stares at me in need as I come and go and I stare back and shrug, take a number and give me several days of dry. Meanwhile I'll tackle a project I don't dread as much.

But other than this unusual weather its a typical Berkshire summer. The tourists are around, though I don't notice them much in my travels. The kids are busy and we are shuttling them between jobs and friends. As usual it seems amazing that August is upon us and fall not far behind. The thoughts of pellets for the stove and readying for winter already in the plans and on the lists. Its a little more scattered than usual and thus we more scattered and thus me doing less writing or being about in places that inspire ideas and pictures. It is also a time of transition in our family and we are all acutely aware of that. So enjoy what we can and when we can for you never know when the next downpour will occur. Wait here it is!