First rains

::

beauty
is as simple
as the morning after
a night
filled with
rain

::

The first drops of rain always bring a smile to our faces. The smell of wet soil, the damp grass, and the slosh of puddles under our feet make us want to dance with wanton joy. Rains make a heart go romantic. Rains bring joy to the Earth. Rains announce that Nature is alive and well. Walking through the first rains is always a pleasant experience, something which we have cherished and will admire for ages.

Yesterday we had the first rains of our season - a full 55mm! I could just about hear the plants singing, although I felt very sorry for my chickens and all the garden birds - they were all thoroughly drenched and looking decidedly sorry for themselves. My Obsessive Compulsive Robin sought refuge in the house, spending most of his time between snacking on the mince I put on the kitchen counter for him, sitting on the lampshade on my desk in the dining room, only flying out when someone approached.

However, the first seasonal rains led to flooding and road closures across South Africa yesterday. In Gauteng, thunderstorms and heavy rains on Wednesday night caused flooding in Cleveland, Parktown, on the M1 highway at Smith Street, at Klipspruit Valley Road and New Canada Road in Soweto. There were also numerous reports of accidents caused by the wet roads. That always amazes me, how people tend to drive the same way when it's wet as when it's dry - one gentleman managed to roll his Mercedes SLK sports car not far from us here in Tarlton, with a reported speed of 140kph down the Game Reserve Hill in pouring rain!

::

The earth sizzled,
The air simmered.
The heat rattled,
Everything around smoldered.

One fine day fair,
The winds started to blow.
Calmed down the air,
Someone was saying hello.

One calm evening,
When everything seemed timeless,
It was a blessing,
To experience a drizzle temptress.

The wet land,
The soaked grass,
Nature's design grand,
I experienced it at last.

I walked through the rainfall,   
Got myself a bit drenched.
It didn't fail to enthrall,
My thirst had finally quenched
- Unknown