Love/Hate Relationship

I have a love/hate relationship with Virginia. The hot, humid, sultry days are the ones I am not particularly fond of. We have had a few of those lately. Last night was warm and still, but at about 2:30 I awoke to pouring rain and wind. Uh oh - the windows were open. I got up to check and sure enough, the rain had blown in the "bike room" windows. It had blown so far that the hardwood floor was wet for about 2 ft. Not only that, but Godiva was SOAKED! (For those of you who do not know, Godiva is my totally naked, not-a-drop-of-paint-on-her-frame, titanium bike. My "little [NOT] red sports car", if you will.) I grabbed a bunch of paper towels & mopped her off, then decided I should probably take a swipe or two at the floor. By that time it was approaching 3 a.m. and I knew I needed to get back to bed if I was going to be able to get up and make it to work this morning. Being a Monday, and considering I had missed a couple Mondays recently, I figured losing sleep over a wet bicycle was not a good enough reason to take off....

Here on Moonshine Mountain we have had three wonderful rain showers in the last 20 hours or so. Prior to the first one (above), it was getting pretty dry. In the heat of the summer it doesn't take long to get dry. What I love about Virginia is that once it rains this place is glorious. Mother Nature did us a favor with those showers - particularly the last one that came through just about an hour ago. She swept the air clean. The grass is a vivid shade of green; the flowers in the garden are glowing, and the birds are singing. Who needs music when the windows can be opened? Goldfinches are outside asking their never-ending questions, a red bellied woodpecker is chastising every blue jay that dares approach the feeder and the cardinals are chirping their joy at the clean air. In the edge of the trees a wood thrush sings the most beautiful song any bird could sing. His notes are pure and clear and I can't get enough of them.

I have been in a funk the last few days because what I want to do and what I have to do are two entirely different things. Want = ride my bike. Have = work, mow, clean, work more. I feel better now. Thank you, Mother Nature.