Rain Shells

The rain continued all day. At sundown there was a phenomenon I have seen before which is marvelous---a clearing of the sky in the west along the horizon, allowing the sun to appear unobstructed below the thick cloud cover for about twenty minutes before it descended below the horizon. Such a sight is a rare treat and one to be savored in the brief instant it appears. The distant clearing harkens the end of the rain.

For the time being, rain continued past sunset into full darkness. I did not get a chance to walk out in the rain, as I no longer have a proper rain shell. The burnt orange one I bought in 2014 at REI in Portland for our trip to Europe has disintegrated from heavy use. It is time to get a new one, I remind myself. In Portland it is easy to remember when you need a new rain shell. In Arizona, it is something that is easy to put off.

I settled for a trip out onto the covered porch balcony where I could feel the fresh cool rain-permeated air and take in its aroma, which was combined with the subtle presence of meals being cooked in nearby buildings, and curiously, the distinct smell of burning matches. This strange smell seemed almost like a collage of many aromas I had experienced in my life---there was something of everything in it.

Below the balcony in the dark, the lights along the garage doors reflected in the wet pavement revealing the pleasing remnant of the rain. 

The rain continued even to bedtime. Lying in the dark, I could hear it outside. This rain---the evening bedtime rain---is the rarest experience here.