Self-Portrait of the Photographer as Rain Sitter

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

It was, for the most part, a rather soggy holiday weekend. We had spent much of Saturday indoors because of the rain. And Sunday looked to be shaping up the same way. When the first rays of sun came out shortly after lunchtime, we took it as a sign of clearing.

Even though the online weather forecast was still calling for the possibility of some showers later in the afternoon, we were tired of being stuck indoors. So we threw a few things in the car and headed out, quite optimistically, for Bald Eagle Creek. I was hoping to see some butterflies.

As we drove there, however, the skies opened up and it began to rain again. But the rain ended as we reached the parking lot. I was taking my camera with me (as always!), and so I tucked my umbrella in my tote bag, just for security's sake.

This is the spot where we were sitting last time we visited, when we spotted a mink wandering along the shoreline. Yes, a mink! This area is possibly wilder than you might think, for a place not so far from town.

On this day, there was much cackling of kingfishers. One of them sat briefly on a branch right across the stream from me, but I wasn't quick enough to get a single shot. Then two of them spent the next hour and a half playing tag, chasing each other up and down the creek. What a ruckus!

But also: it rained. Mostly just gentle drizzles off and on. You should have seen how interesting the air was there. So damp. It was very calm and peaceful. And so I put my umbrella up (yes, those are orange monarch butterflies on it) and sat in my chair and simply enjoyed the rain.

I did take some pictures of the creek, though alas, I didn't get any of the kingfishers. My husband thought I was the more amusing photo subject on this day. So I present to you this shot, courtesy of my husband: a self-portrait of the photographer as Sitter in the Rain.

The soundtrack: B.J. Thomas, Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head.