It rains a lot in the bay area, but after living there for three years I can count on only one hand the number of times I’ve heard a crack of thunder. Even then I don’t need all my fingers to count. I’ve forgotten how much I missed a real summer storm.
I’ve always loved storms. I remember being a little girl curled up on my grandma L’s lap, snuggling into her chest, watching the dark clouds grow as a storm rolled in. Usually wrapped in blankets we would sit outside in her rocking chair letting the wind toss our hair as we watched for lightning and listened for the rumble of thunder that would follow until the cold rain chased us inside.
As I grew older, even as an adult, I could often be found outside when a storm was rolling in. I would sit outside our house in the same rocking chair I used to share with my grandma (she passed on when I was still a little girl), wrapped tightly in a blanket, with my eyes on the sky watching the slate blue and gray clouds form and reform. I would feel the cold gusts of wind in my hair and listen for the deep sound of thunder. I always felt free and safe at the same time and the feeling always reminded me of my grandma.
While in bed in the middle of the night last night, after years of not hearing it, I pressed myself closer to my sleeping husband and listened intently as the deep rumbles of thunder echoed in my chest again and again during a nighttime summer storm. I closed my eyes, smiled to myself, and remembered.
What a beautiful post. I completely agree – I love, love, love thunderstorms! Living in the Midwest has shown me what real thunderstorms are all about. I love it!
Your current weather is about the same as mine these days, and these grey skies and thunder storms are getting OLD, no matter how beautiful they are!!! Gorgeous shot!
I loved this post! I have always loved storms. I prefer the overcast days and rain to the blue skies (usually). There is nothing better than the sound of rain on the roof! While we have had lots and lots of rain, I haven’t heard any thunder in a while. Glad you got some!
Mmmmm…..summer storms…love ‘em.
Although, this recent weather pattern has my “old hip” acting up…it’s been awhile since that has happened. I think its all the extremes in the weather lately. Oh well. I still love the storms!
What a lovely tribute to your grandma! I love storms too!
I absolutely LOVE thunder storms. LOVE THEM. Especially at night.
Yeah, ditto to Loralee.
It was fun to read about your memories of Grandma. She must have been a storm-watcher from way back, because I remember being very young and sitting on the front porch step, wrapped in a blanket, watching storms with her long before we got those rocking chairs. I wonder if my grandma was a storm watcher too. Maybe I can askk Auntie M. Such fun memories…thanks!
Oh, and btw, sometime when you’re thinking about Grandma, you should post that poem you wrote about Grandma. I loved that poem. Just a thought…
ooo Thunder! What fun memories and nice reminiscing.
) Now that we’re living close to the coast, I haven’t heard thunder since we’ve been here. I miss the Texas storms.
that is one thing i miss about living here in the northwest..no storms. i love the summer storms in colorado. there is nothing like the crack of lighting and the rumble of thunder. lovely post, hsf.
Oh how much I despise MT because of the lack of storms. I grew up in Texas, and every time there was one, I was on the porch or watching from a window. When N came along, I took him with me. I found them calming… and here… it spits, doesn’t rain. Dreadful.
[...] I finished reading, Peanut and I snuggled deeper into the blanket the way I used to snuggle with my Grandma L. Together we watched the gray-white sky strobe with lightning. The cherry trees waved to us [...]
[...] absorbing all the rumbling. This one filled me to the brim, making me ache with longing for my Grandma L, who taught me to love summer storms. While I don’t know if Peanut will ever get the joy out of them that I do, I hope she will at [...]