Monday, March 6, 2017

"Weather" or Not

by Terri



“Rain, rain, go away and don’t come back another day.” That’s usually my tune when we get rain and this winter there has been a LOT of rain, at least a lot for the desert. When someone says to me, “Don’t you love this weather?” I say, “No, I don’t. That’s why I live here!”  Gray skies just make me sad. I want to see sun and blue sky 365 days a year! Our winters are usually our favorite time, the reward for enduring scalding hot summers, so all the rain was definitely getting me down.

But I recently decided to try to make the most of the rainy days instead. Last week we had one whole day where it rained constantly and that is so rare for us. The next day it was still raining but stopped at around 11:00 a.m. so I grabbed my camera and decided to go and see what surprises I could find that were left by the rain. The raindrops on the branches in the photo above immediately caught my attention. And then there was this:


It was like the branches were hung with diamonds!

With further exploration, I discovered that there was a river of water flowing through an otherwise dry desert. We now have riverfront property! I snapped this shot and it wasn’t until I opened it on my computer that I discovered the bokeh created by the now-emerging sun gleaming on the water. Well, if that wasn’t enough to make me love the rain, nothing will!


So the next time it rains . . . no, I probably won’t be happy about it but you can bet I’ll be waiting for that moment when it stops and I can go out and see what I can find with my camera!  Do you grumble about less-than-favorite weather or have you figured out ways to make the most of those days?



I think as photographers we can always find ways to appreciate what Mother Nature gives us by training our cameras on the beauty around us, whatever that might be. It’s a whole lot more fun to capture it with our lens than complain about it. Yes, I’m talking to myself here but I’m willing to bet I have some company in this. What do you choose to do when it’s too hot, too cold, too snowy, too wet? Share your favorite ways to cope with the weather. I may need to use them the next time it rains!





6 comments:

Sandra said...

You certainly caught some great shots by going out right after the rain! You found 'diamonds' and bokeh galore! Not bad for a desert girl! I am the opposite of you, I just don't do well in the heat! I love living in a country where we get four seasons - even if they're a little muddled up and excessive due to Global warming and air pollution. When it's too hot, I go out very early for my walks and then stay inside. With the rain and the snow, I'm always on the watch out for those little spaces in-between the drops and flakes! I really don't like the wind, but I manage with just about everything else!

AFishGirl said...

Such beautiful shots. I'm so glad you did this post and went out and saw the rain. As to what do I do when it's too hot (I have the variation of SAD where I dislike heat and too much sun), I do exactly what Cathy H wrote in a post last summer about coping with summer. We're a minority, we non-sun lovers. My spirits go up when it rains. And fog is probably my all time favourite or a close second to blizzards. Happy Monday from a queer duck in Seabright.

Cathy H. said...

I have to agree with Pam, I'm the opposite of you! I'm glad there's someone else out there like me! I love rainy days, just not days and days of them! As you discovered, after the rain there are some incredible pictures just waiting to be taken.

Dotti said...

It's amazing how even in the "unlovely" parts of nature we can find beauty - if we take the time to open our eyes, and hearts, to see and to notice what we're seeing. These photos are indeed diamonds.

janel said...

Yes, I agree with Dotti, looking for small bits of beauty is a surprise and a joy. Terri, you made it a diamond day for sure....SUCH beauty. Today I was going to go shooting, but the wind here is howling at about 40-50 mph. Decided that I am going to go any way...and "scout" for some hidden owls, or Nature...so that when things calm down, I will be familiar with On ejust never knows....Nature provides us with so much! And I feel like this group is a great model for finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. Always an inspiration.

kelly said...

pure magic terri. nothing like a little sun after the rain to lift your spirits. :)

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