Spring Rain Like Kindness - Missoula, Montana

“Kindness, after all, did not distinguish between those who merited it and those who did not. It was like rain, she thought. It fell everywhere and made everything green and new and alive once more. That is what it did.”

-Mma Ramotswe in To the Land of Long Lost Friends, No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Series, by Alexander McCall Smith, p. 70-71 (lg type)

Summer Rain On Peony Stem - Missoula, Montana

“And finally, spring's offspring. Summer.” 

- Jick McCaskill in English Creek by Ivan Doig, p. 34

Nice and Quiet - Missoula, Montana

“Silence is a good friend, I repeat, as if saying a mantra. It allows for the natural progression of things. 

Still, I remain nervous, anxious to fill the void as I used to with interesting questions, chit chat, sweet nothings that nice girls like me were taught to utter. ...Now what takes the place of nice, I wonder?”

-Joan Anderson, in A Year By The Sea, p. 73

Tree Song - Missoula, Montana

"A few minutes ago every tree was excited, bowing to the roaring storm, waving, swirling, tossing their branches in glorious enthusiasm like worship. 
But though to the outer ear these trees are now silent,
 their songs never cease."

- John Muir (1838-1914)

Garden Rain - Missoula, Montana

“The river and the garden have been the foundations of my economy here. Of the two I have liked the river best. It is wonderful to have the duty of being on the river the first and last thing every day. I have loved it even in the rain. Sometimes I have loved it most in the rain.” - Wendell Berry, Jayber Crow

Rain-dappled - Missoula, Montana

"Thank you, dear God, for this good life and forgive us if we do not love it enough. Thank you for the rain. And for the chance to wake up in three hours and go fishing: I thank you for that now, because I won't feel so thankful then." - Garrison Keillor

Blooming Bright - Missoula, Montana

A neighbor's Mother's Day planter is blooming bright in the face of today's stormy skies.

Rain Sans Cats - Missoula, Montana

“I 

think that the
world should be full of cats 

and full of rain, that's all, 

just
cats and
rain, rain and cats, very nice, good
night.” 
― Charles Bukowski (1920-1994), Betting on the Muse: Poems and Stories

Springfall, Missoula, Montana

“I thought I had forgotten,
But it all came back again
To-night with the first spring thunder
In a rush of rain…

Thunder gripping the earth
And lightning scrawled on the sky…”

From “Spring Rain” by Sara Teasdale (1884-1933)
Read more about this author, the entire poem, and more of her poetry
here.

Raining Again, Alberton, Montana

“…my poetry was born between the hill and the river, it took its voice from the rain, and like the timber, it steeped itself in the forests.” - Pablo Neruda  

(Click on the above text links to read more from one of my favourite poets. Plus read about him in this week's news, here.)

Rainy Day Pine, Alberton, Montana

Mmmm… you can almost smell the rain-washed spring air, with delicate overtones of real pine and earthy humus. It’s a good thing to get out among the trees. (Well, after the ticks move further up the mountain, of course.)

Raining Again, Alberton, Montana

For the weather whingers out there who bemoaned the cold and snow: I hope you’re happy now.

Rainy days in the low 40s Fahrenheit resolving to nighttime lows around freezing make for an interesting morning commute hereabouts.

But beauty still abounds, as here in the misting rain suspended on last season’s tenacious leaves.

Seasons Crossing, West Fish Creek, Alberton, Montana

"My evil genius Procrastination has whispered me to tarry 'til a more convenient season."
- Mary Todd Lincoln

The Fallen, Missoula, Montana

Few things intrigue me faster than an uncontrived still-life, particularly if crouching is required to gain a good angle (let‘s hear a “hurrah!” for long-torso shirts!). In this case, we see a triumvirate of the small fallen - leaves, raindrops, and petals - glorying in their barked domain beneath the front entry shrub. May they always agree so pleasantly.

Rain or Snow Drops, Missoula, Montana

The clouds just can't decide today

 whether to leave rain,

or snow to stay.

So they compromised with a gift of these lovely sparklings. I hurried to my car to retrieve my camera, hoping no one would run over my latest photo subject. Then I had to make sure no one would run over me, crouching out on the asphalt during lunchtime! This was my shortest photo shoot ever - 2 clicks; done. 

With the balmy weather we had up through yesterday, I've been eating lunch outside while I post my photo. Today, I'm in my car. Safely balancing my laptop and lunch recalled a childhood image-memory of eating in one of our vehicles from a handy fold-down tray with a drink divot. I thought it was so cool!  Either that or, in the days before "happy meals", the glorified and rare occasion of eating fries from a drive-thru was the cool thing that imprinted the whole tray snapshot in my brain.

Happy meals - now there's a distinctly American phrase. For the vast majority of the rest of world, every meal is a happy meal.
Wow, major leapfrog in the grey cells. Good thing it's time to go back to work - no telling where we'd end up with another 5 minutes.

Raindrops on (Not) Roses, Missoula, Montana

Raindrops are rather fascinating little gems.  Or they could just fall into my general fixation with shiny things. 
One thing - well, actually, two things - I appreciate about all the rain we’re having this summer: (1) we haven't had to water the lawn much, and (2) the natural light is fabulous for photos.

Raindrops Reclining, Missoula, Montana

Oft-scorned quackgrass is elevated to new status by these fantastical raindrops.

A string of diamond pearls.... new peas in their pod.... alien ladybugs walking over a hill to home....what does this make you think of?