It’s been a relatively lush summer here in southwestern VA, with periodic storms and even a couple of gully-washers, but overall nothing too extreme. Thankfully. Not everyone in our part of the planet has been so lucky.

In most cases, Dash and I have been able to wait out the precipitation and still get in our daily walks.  I’ve grown to love the sights and smells of a just-pasted summer storm… the water churning down Stroubles Creek as we pass by on our way to the Huckleberry Trail… the mesmerizing patterns in the water as it rushes or meanders over grass and sidewalks and into the street… liquid beads forming on leaves and branches, forming concentric circles in the puddles below…

In the evenings we’re also likely to see lovely colors and shapes reflecting from the surface of standing or moving water…

Of course, it’s also fun to watch the way songbirds, butterflies and moths, children, dogs, runners, and cyclist react as they approach a puddle on the asphalt path… is it shallow or deep?

Storms can be an inconvenience when I don’t have an umbrella handy or I’m rushing to get somewhere, but when I take the time to slow down and look around, I can see the beauty of a rainy day.

How do you enjoy spending a rainy day, or the time after the clouds depart? Share your thoughts, experiences, and photos in the comments section below!

[Thanks to the following photographers for making their work available through the Creative Commons license: danna § curious tangles, Ib Aarmo, Michele Dorsey Walfred, ~Izee~by~the~Sea~, Walter A. Aue, ellenm1, Akulatraxas, and Theresa Martell.]