I welcome the promise of rain. Our plants desperately need it and I can feel the storm coming. The air feels heavy, the sky seems closer. It is only midday and yet the familiar bright tones of the garden seem washed out in the dim half-light belonging to dusk.
As the clouds roll over the hill at speed, we are pulling on our waterproof coats for the first time in weeks, ready to get outside and be willingly caught in the downpour. The long grass in the meadow is already drenched and water droplets flick up at us as we hike through it.
I have my second and third sons with me today and they run ahead together, slipping a little here and there in the mud, laughing as they do, charging headlong into the wind.
We turn off before the woodland today, taking a newer, southerly path through the lower fields. Only a week ago, the newly sewn crops were almost imperceptible and yet now the fields are a vivd seedling-green. The storm-light brings out the russet tones of the dried grass beside the footpath. Cow parsley is in bloom now, a dusting of white froth along the hedges.
The fallen tree, with its outstretched roots and branches, has been here so long now the path politely curves around it. I call to the boys to wait for me and stop briefly to take a look at the green patches of lichen. Close-up, it is a thriving world of its own.
The ancient byway shines with pools of water, meanwhile our boots become increasingly heavy with the clay soil-turned-to-mud. For a moment, the rain is sideways, blowing down from the higher ground, we brace ourselves against it and then, suddenly, the sun breaks through.
We are close to home now, and take a pause to look over to the distant city through a gap in the hedgerow. We shake off our hoods, exhilarated at the beautifully crisp air that the rain has left behind. We stand together for a few minutes, my arms around my sons’ shoulders, as we watch the storm sweep its way southwards.
—Keep safe and well everyone. With heartfelt thanks to all those who are working to keep us safe, especially those on the frontline in the NHS and hospitals around the world.—
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What an amazing set of pics, I love walking in the rain too
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Hello there Beth, thank you very much 🙂 I do love the rain, especially after a long dry spell, everything looks and smells so fresh and green afterwards as well. I’ve really been enjoying your photographs and poetry. I find photos really help as a writing prompt too.
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Certainly very different from spring in the desert. 🙂 I miss the wildflowers and budding bushes and trees that we had back in Illinois or elsewhere in the Midwest, but the desert has its own beauty. Thanks for sharing yours. (We’re also unlikely to get rain of this sort.)
janet
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Hello Janet 🙂
We get a lot of sudden rain, or racing clouds and rolling thunder here, as we’re on the top of a hill and just a little way north are the penine mountains. It’s very rare that we don’t take a rain coat out with us! On the plus side, everything is always very green and lush here and its easy to grow plants in our garden. I think there is a very dramatic beauty about deserts, and the way plants have adapted to cope without water is fascinating.
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There’s beauty in all sorts of landscapes and climates, isn’t there? We just have to be open for it and enjoy it. I’m certainly enjoy this very different locale.
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Lovely.
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Thank you very much 🙂 I hope you have a lovely Sunday
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Beautiful.
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Thank you 🙂 We’ve had a lovely week out in the fields every day – I hope you are keeping well x
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Beautiful 🧚🏻♀️🧚🏻♀️
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Thank you very much Saania 🙂
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A refreshing walk beautifully recorded with type and camera.
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Thank you Derrick – I find the light just after rain is perfect for taking photos 🙂
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It is indeed
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I love that top photo.
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Lovely images, lovely words
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Your photos convey the atmosphere so well. The lichen is lovely.
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This post was magical. I love rain too. 🙂
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A lovely post – made me feel as if I was on the walk with you!
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Through rain and fields you go! Your home posts are just as much fun to read as your travel posts. So much to notice, no matter where we are.
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A lovely serene post. I’m a huge fan of moss and lichen – such fantastical and interesting mini-worlds. Thanks for taking me for a walk this morning.
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Your pictures transferred me to that beautiful place. The place where I stay in India also experienced rain today. This is a prime time for thunderstorms and big trees swaying their heads like madness. Locally this kind of weather at this point in the year is known as “Kalbaisakhi”. The weather gets so amazing after the storm. Even I feel like taking a walk now after reading your post.
Do check out my blog. There are some travel and lifestyle content which you might find interesting. Do follow if you like it. Thanks and have a great day :).
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Thank you for taking us on a walk with you and your sons. These are lovely photos and your prose is quite poetic. You’ve inspired me to take a walk in the park near my home.
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I love the lichen. Please send the rain on to us when you are finished with it.
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Wow the second to last photo is so amazing!
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Hello Tierney 🙂 We’re still waiting to see what crops the seedlings are, I can’t quite tell yet. Most of the fields are corn or oil seed and will be towering over us, with that path looking like it’s in the middle of a maze, in just a few months’ time! x
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I love walking in the rain, thanks for taking us along! 🙂 . We had some very much needed soft rain in North Norfolk for two days and luckily the water butts are almost full again, it has been much too dry. Have a good weekend.
Best wishes, Dina
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It’s been too long since we visited Norfolk – I love the huge skies you have there. I was very grateful for the water butt filing up again, as mine is right next to the raised beds and saves me a walk to the tap 😀 I hope you are having a lovely Sunday x
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I just love your pictures! I pinned a few.
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Hello there, thank you very much – I’m really glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
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Wonderful post
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Thanks very much – I’ve really enjoyed your photography of Alaska too
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Beautifully and poetically written.
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Thank you very much – I’ve been avidly reading your lovely Scotland website, especially since we cannot be there ourselves at the moment x
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I know, it’s sad isn’t it? I was supposed to leave for Scotland a week from this coming Friday. 😦
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Oh no! Hopefully not too long before we both can get back there again 🌿
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What a difference a few days make since your last walk and post along this path…. The rain here too was most welcome and with it the weeds soon shot up… But we were so thankful for the rain… I think it must have been five weeks since we had proper rain..
I loved how you said the path politely curved around the fallen tree… 🙂 Your words so poetic and soothing to read… You should think of writing a book… Seriously… your words hold the readers attention and I have been lapping up your words.
And I Know I have been absent.. I often am as I can take forever to catch up with peoples blogs, running two blogs and following so many doesn’t help when I take a blog break … I am so enjoying your blog Mrs TP… and seeing your children grow and explore …
Thank you for sharing a part of yourselves with us…
Sending love and well wishes to you and your family.. Stay safe and healthy.. ❤ 🙏💖
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So lovely to hear from you Sue! I hope the veg plot is doing well 🙂 Thank you for the very kind words – I love writing, and I’m sure there’s a book in me somewhere, if I could just tempt it out 😀 Stay well and healthy too ♥️
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This is a lovely post.
Regards, Teresa
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Thank you very much Theresa 🌿
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I think your photos and blog are absolutely delightful. I have nominated you for the Liebster Awardhttps://wordpress.com/block-editor/post/moragnoffke.wordpress.com/1531 I do hope you accept but I do understand if it is not your thing. Have a great weekend.
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That’s so kind of you Morag, thank you very much for thinking of our little website 🙂
I hope you have a lovely weekend too 🌿
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What a lovely post…it prods me on gently through the fields. You noticed the same things I probably would have stopped for, and your narrative describes it all so well. Thank you for the follow, too. I appreciate it. 🙂
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Thank you very much 🙂 I found your site on a WordPress search and I really enjoyed reading through everything x
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Your photos and words took me back to my childhood, growing up on a dairy farm in Wiltshire. I loved walking along the edge of the fields, finding the flowers and hedgerow fruits as each season changed. And that lichen is just beautiful!
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Thank you so much and if it transported you back, I’m really happy. I have a fondness for hedgerows and lichen – it’s like they are their own little ecosystems 🌿
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What a lovely walk. Thanks for allowing me to join you!
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Thank you – very glad you could come along 🙂🌿
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