Rain

"Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby." - Langston Hughes

We moved to the Pacific Northwest about 18 years ago. I think that everyone knows that it rains a lot here. However, I don't think that is rains as much as everyone thinks it does. Without all the rain it would just be a desert. Don't misunderstand, I think the desert has it's own kind of beauty. I prefer the lush greenness here. The marvelous mountains are full of hiking trails, fishing rivers and lakes, and abundant in wildlife. In the winter the alp-like mountains are great for skiing and snowboarding.
The beaches are cool and rocky but there is always a calming sereneness there. There is always something fun and interesting to be found at the beach. My family loves to explore the tide pools, and throw logs that have washed up on the beach, into the water and then see who can throw a rock onto the log as it drifts further and further away. I once counted around 75 starfish and on another beach I have counted around 100 bald eagles, all at one time. It is hard to plan outdoor activities here. Sometimes we use plan B but we have also shivered through many windy picnics. Somewhere behind the clouds in the above picture is Mt St. Helen's. Yes, it does rain a lot here and when the sun shines it is glorious.