We happy few

I hope you had a pleasant Fourth of July weekend.

They say "never open with the weather," so I didn't.

However.

Here in the Midlands of South Carolina we have been in a pattern of pop-up thunderstorms that occur numerous times a day.

For many days.

I love rain so it's okay by me.

On Thursday, TG went to play eighteen holes of golf. The sky was blue as blue could be, filled with masses of scudding white clouds, when he was preparing to leave home.

He expressed a concern that it may rain.

I looked outside. "Have you seen the sky?" I said. "It's blue as blue can be and filled with masses of scudding white clouds! It's not going to rain."

Yes; I really talk like that.

TG kissed me goodbye.

Shortly thereafter, we heard thunder. I looked outside again. It was raining ferrets and weasels.

Oopsie.

"Dad just teed off," Erica observed.

"He'll be okay," I said. And he was. He had a blast.

The girls and I decided to go downtown on Saturday to take pictures. TG was out running errands.

Before we could leave, he came home and reported that it was pouring rain downtown.

We went anyway. We do after all, live west of downtown. My logic was, since weather generally proceeds west to east, we were home free.

When we arrived at Memorial Park, it was sunny and clear.

You might say it was blue as blue could be, with masses of scudding white clouds.

Shortly after beginning to walk around in the sweltering humidity, the girls and I were struck by the trash people leave lying around.

Memorial Park exists to honor our nation's war dead and in particular to shine a light of remembrance on those from our community who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Only, judging by the vice-related detritus left behind, some people use Memorial Park (which has no fences and no gates) as a place to party down in the wee hours.

I found it monumentally disrespectful. Our beloved America! Don't trash her, people. Too many folks have died to make her possible.

After taking a few pictures we decided to go to Trinity Episcopal Church Cemetery instead.

It is secured by gates. There is never any trash on the ground.

There were however, on this visit, thousands of Crape Myrtle blossoms on the ground.

Unlike trash, they are beautiful to see. Like a frilly raspberry-colored blanket flung across the brick lanes and silent graves of the old cemetery. 

One massive Crape Myrtle has lost a branch, in fact, and is drooping so low to the ground, you have to stoop way down to walk beneath it and photograph the graves it shelters.

But we hadn't been there long at all when it began to rain.

It sprinkled at first, but we soon realized it meant business.

We sought dry land on the top step of the side set of church doors. The doors themselves are locked but there is a ledge about ten inches wide and if you press your back to a door, only your toes get wet.

I put my camera safely in its padded bag. Someone inside was playing the organ. We watched it rain and listened to the music.

Eventually -- it took awhile -- we were able to walk to our car without getting drenched. On the drive home we saw the bluest of skies and the whitest of clouds up ahead.

When we got into the house I said, "Let's go for a swim!" The pool's temperature is ideal this time of year, even though the summer has not been overly hot so far.

By the time we had our suits on? You guessed it. Heavy rain.

I stood on the ledge just outside the door to my pool area, just as I'd stood on the ledge of the church doors an hour earlier.

Soon Erica joined me. We clutched our towels.

Then I said, "Hang it," and I put down my towels on that ledge and I jumped into the pool.

No, there was no lightning about. Soon I was joined by Erica, then TG and Audrey.

The rain moved on.

It was fun.

And now I must go. I just heard thunder. It's starting to rain.

To see more Crape-Myrtles-of-Trinity-Episcopal-Cemetery pictures, click here.

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Happy Monday ~ Happy Week

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Comments

[Mari]

Crazy weather you are having! I loved your descriptions - especially the "ferrets and weasels" part.
In spite of the weather you took some lovely pictures. I'm a bit jealous of the crepe myrtles. Us Northern folk don't get to enjoy that beauty!

[Donna (Texas)]

You little Tease! Pass some of that dang rain down here! It's getting a mite crispy!
Love the shots!!!
hughugs

[Skunkfeathers]

I well remember a good rain in a hot/humid climate...the relief it was until the sun came back out and turned it into an outdoor steam bath LOL. Growing up in Iowa ;-)

[jan]

love the photos.