Cocoa morning musings

I was awakened in the depths of night by the sound of rain. It wasn't merely the pitter-pat of an early fall shower, it was the roaring rush that an outright deluge makes. So, at 3 a.m., I padded my way down my darkened hallway and gingerly opened the front door. I was embraced by that unmistakable rain-washed scent of petrichor and my face was immediately caressed by the spattering mist of the nighttime storm. I ventured onto the front porch and just stood there, drinking in the night...breathing in the rain.

I love rain.

I love the way it sounds. If you close your eyes, it sounds like bacon frying in a hot skillet. I love the way it makes everything glisten. I'm fascinated by how it melts reflected colored lights and transforms the pavement into a paint-splattered canvas. I love the way it smells--on asphalt, on cement, on grass; oh especially on grass. If the scent of rain on grass had a color it would be brilliant green. Alive. Fresh. Verdant. But when it's on cement...that smell is chalky--so it's sort of a mushroom-colored grey. I love the way it feels when it bounces off objects creating millions of little cold spits and spats that almost sting and, just as quickly, coalesce and roll down my face in tear-like drips.

I sat outside until I was more than damp from the misting spray. I like that spray. It invigorates my body but is a calming balm to my soul. Really kind of Yin Yang if you think about it. After a good, long  time on the porch, I went back inside, toweled off, and slipped into bed--snuggling up to my warm, sleeping husband. I soon fell fast asleep.

So, this morning I awoke to a rain-drenched world. The sky is grey, everything is matted down and soggy. I decided it's a PERFECT morning for cocoa and toast. Cocoa and toast...this combination makes me think of my "daughter" Haley. It was her favorite breakfast when she was a kidlet. It's such a wonderful combination...like a warm hug in a mug. I made cocoa and toast for my husband and myself (that's him in the photo). Mmmmm, so yummy. Oh, the cocoa is good too.

Good morning, my love. Consider this your first hug of the day.