Doomless Gloom

Half asleep, about 5 a.m., listening to a rumble. Cats growling at each other, perhaps? No, more subtle... Lights flashing vaguely through closed eyelids. Seems familiar. Oh, right... ummm, thunder, that's it! Been a long long time.

So yes, we have prospects of rain today. A few drops have already fallen and a small dampness prevails. Smell of spring. I revel in these days, when we see the green really starting to spread on the nearby hills. Days like this, a friend says, "temporarily assuage our resistance to living in a semi-arid climate." Spring is late and will, no doubt, be too short. Today the lilacs are barely budding, tomorrow it could be 80 again, as it was on Monday.

By the way, to update previous pessimism, the ash leaves survived that last snow storm, but the asparagus took a hit from the chickens. Apple tree is in bloom.

This gloom, therefore, bodes well, brings prospects of life flourishing and flowering. Keep your fingers crossed.