A Life of Simple JoyReducing stress, increasing joy one post at a time!

We had rain last week. In the rest of the country, rain in the spring is a common occurrence. In southern California, spring rain is not common. Some years, rain isn’t common at any time. That’s why I enjoy it so much. Rain tends to drop the temperature so it seems like autumn even in the spring. I love to sit on our front porch with a book (usually a mystery), a cup of hot coffee and my throw. I snuggle up in a chair and try to read. I am distracted by the rain. I watch the birds on the lawn feasting on the bugs brought to the surface by the rain. I enjoy the smell of the damp earth. I listen to the hiss of tires on the wet street.

Sometimes, I wander down to the park down the street from us. The parking lot in the park becomes a runoff when the rain is heavy. I like to stand on the bridge and watch the water rush over the rocks.

Rain also makes me want to nap. Curling up under the comforter with the window open above my head, I listen to the rain hit the driveway and grass outside. The cool, damp air makes me drift off to sleep. Rain may not come often so I take advantage of it when it visits. A simple joy any time of the year.