First rainfall: Purple fountain grass

We are sitting in the desert and rain stays firmly away for the hot summer months. Today it revisited, brought to life the garden, chilled us to the bone or perhaps that was just me crawling around in my overgrown garden of glorious weeds. I can't shoot spider webs as I'm an arachnophobic, so the fountain grass beckoned. In the last few years of living in LA, I've loved to capture that first rain.

After dropping Reuben off to school this morning, I headed with Callum to the fabulous Santa Monica library, a stunning design-build project with a modern twist. I've always had a passion for modernist architecture and love when the ancient city of London is so injected, the juxtaposition of old and new. He wolfed down a cheese quesadilla, claiming it was "hot, hot" and blowing gently upon it. He amused the staff by running amock, and less amused those who were studying. I happened upon the photographic section on my way to the children's library which we didn't quite reach and pulled down some volumes to muse over. It feels like a long time since I've had the pleasure of doing such a thing.

Callum's little sentences are coming on beautifully. If he's frustrated and wants something badly, he'll start with a "cookie" but then check himself and continue "I want cookie please mama" all spoken and signed together. He'll happily count to ten and recite most of his alphabet, albeit his athleticism and desire to be on the move means he doesn't quite have the patience to master the alphabet in sign but that continues to be my goal by his second birthday next month. Signing has been Reuben's great gift and talent from so early a beginning. One of many. It's beautiful.