YAY - It's raining outside!

I'm sure some of you are rolling your eyes, scratching your heads, or otherwise generally wondering why on earth I would be happy that it's raining outside. I love rainy days for the same reason that most people in other areas of the US love sunny days - because we have so very few of them here in Scottsdale, AZ!

Having grown up in Chicago, IL, where the average number of sunny days every year is 83, it was impossible to plan activities around the weather because it seemed like there were cloudy skies and rainy days constantly ruining outdoor activities and generally making the world seem dreary. Since I first moved to Arizona in 1982, I've learned to really appreciate those cloudy days though. I wonder if there is such a thing as having too many sunny days. Here in the Valley of the Sun, we average 300 days of sunshine a year, and believe it or not, many of the residents here do look forward to rainy days!

There is something soothing and almost cathartic about a cloudy, rainy day. It seems to wash away the frenetic energy of the sunshine, allowing one to slow down and relax. I'm listening to the rain falling outside right now and it's almost like a lullaby - gentle, soothing, welcome. The rain washes away the desert dust, enhances the unique scent of creosote (the bush that is responsible for that (in my opinion) wonderful desert rain aroma ), and just renews everything.

I will probably spend a good part of my day watching the rain creating its magic, watching my dogs tiptoe thru the puddles when they go outside (they don't share my love of the rain!) and I will at some point spend some time walking outside, barefoot, feeling the coolness of the cloudy day and the rain as it hits my skin...and I will feel that peaceful energy and renewal that comes with it. Yes, I am glad that it's raining outside!