I love rainy days...

Although I am technically not an Oregonian, I think that having lived there for more than 30 years entitles me to call myself one. So it is with a smile that I say that, now living in Arizona, I do love rainy days. I am about to head out onto the porch (ducking battling hummingbirds) to sit in a chair with a hot cup of tea to watch the rain.

We have not had much of a monsoon this year (here they call that a "nonsoon"), and this rain is more reminiscent of a winter storm than a monsoon rain which is crack-bang-whoosh. This is a gentle-all-over-the-countryside rain. It will green up the hills...

Neither we nor the wildlife are used to the liquid sunshine (an Oregon term, trying to look on the bright side of things): the dogs can't wait to come in and get their feet dried after a short trip outside, and the birds are huddled on the porch or as in the case of these Gambel quail, under a bush.