I am an Oregonian through and through. My internal compass is directed by the local rivers and mountains. My memories of childhood vacations almost all belong in the backdrop of camping and hiking. I hang with those troublesome Trailblazers through the good days and the oh-so-many bad ones. I rarely use an umbrella. I cringe at the sight of a pop can being thrown away. I say "pop". And I like the rain. Where others see the clouds as oppressive and depressing, I see the grey covering as a big comforter blanket, wrapping our city in coziness.
Even the born-and-bred Northwesterners are hitting our limit these days, though. It has been raining - a lot. Maybe I reached saturation when our basement began to take on water. Maybe I am more sensitive to it this season because I am forever dripping as I walk the round-trip to Trinity's school twice each day, pushing the seventy-odd pounds of kids and stroller (where they sit warm & dry). Maybe it is because my children are crazy with cabin-fever, needing to climb and run at the nearest playground.
I still love the rain. It is because of the precipitation levels that our region is so gorgeous. We don't have seasonal green - it is lush and beautiful all year. Our mountains have a glorious coating of white late into the summer. Our rivers are full and mighty and provide the nourishment for so much of our state's foundations - farming, fishing and those daily needs of drinking and washing.
So, I breathe in a deep sigh and zip up my raincoat; I thank God for the beauty around me and step out into the glorious rain.
Monday, January 16
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6 comments:
As a transplant Oregonian, the tempest that has fallen began to annoy me much sooner than it did you. However, I have tried to make a concious effort not to complain too much, though I really want to. Probably I have complained more than I know. However, yesterday's break of sun was a welcome change!
Growing up in a place where rain was rare and drought much more common, I should be thankful for the lush beauty that comes from all our rain. And I am!
QUACK! QUACK, QUAAACKKK, QUACKKK. Quack, quuack, quack. OOPS. Sorry, sometimes I speak in my native tongue.
Although it has been a while since I have lived under the blanket of clouds in the Pacific Northwest, west, I remember well the price that must be paid for all the beauty.
Quack.
johno~
Well, even though it is beautiful up here...I have had it with rain, I will take it any other way...snow, ice, sleet, hail...but please No more. Of course it is even worse in May and it is STILL raining!!
Have a sunny day!
We have a new family from the Northeast at church and I asked her how she was dealing with all of the rain. Without hesitation she said, "it's not frozen, so that makes it wonderful." Now there is somebody who will probably be around long enough to go without a rain coat or unbrella like the other REAL Oregonians. Actually I hadn't noticed the rain that much - of course sitting around with 3 broken ribs tends to allow one to ignore such things as weather. By the way, I got the broken ribs on the only day we have had snow and ice, so Lori, I will stick with the liquid form, thank-you.
Here comes the rain again
Falling on my head like a memory
Falling on my head like a new emotion
She wants to walk when there is no rain
She really loves the beauty so she don't complain
Send the ran on to the Midwest where they need it real soon.
OK so I stole from the Eurythmics. I just thought I would right you a song to encourage you.
PEACE.
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