Sunday morning. 6:30 a.m. One of my very favorite things in the world is happening right now.
A few minutes ago, as I lay in bed halfway between asleep and awake, groggily deciding whether I should get up, make a cup of coffee and read the New York Times, or just go back to sleep for a little while, a flash of light made my decision for me.
I waited, holding my breath, hoping it wasn’t some electronic device in our bedroom that had flashed. Then, a few seconds later: joy. Boom! Plink, plink, plink.
I leapt out of bed and slipped outside to sit on the back porch.
Yucca flowers enjoying the moisture.
There are few things in this world I love more than being awakened by an early Sunday morning thunderstorm. I love almost everything about thunderstorms. The first, hesitant drops of rain plinking on our skylights. The whooshing water running out of the gutters. The overlapping, repeating circles erupting on the patio puddles and on the surface of the pool. The soft roars of thunder in the distance as the storm drifts away. The way the flowers become bright exclamation points in the soggy gray light. I love how nature becomes so geometric and creative and beautiful and active.
When I was little, we had a screened-in porch. During thunderstorms, we always gathered on the porch to watch the sky erupt. Mom made popcorn and lemonade. I sat on her lap. We counted between lightning and thunder. Often, we were quiet, listening to the peacefulness of the rain and the tumbling of the sky.
In Texas, we always need the rain. Anytime it rains, I’m grateful. But when that rain comes with a gentle thunderstorm, it’s a treat. Thank you for the rain and this morning’s show. And thank you for not bringing any tornadoes with it.
Lucy does not share my love of thunderstorms. The morning bathroom run was soggy and quick. No time to bark.
The Gratitudenist 
I enjoyed reading your post.. am also a thunderstorm lover but they are rare where I live.
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Thanks for visiting my blog! I love your photography. Wow, you are really talented. I look forward to seeing more of them. You are lucky to live in such a beautiful place.
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Lucky you! There’s nothing better than a thunderstorm (as long as it doesn’t bring hail with it!), and waking up to one would be an added bonus! 🙂
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I agree – I got stuck in a hailstorm last year and my poor car suffered a lot of pock marks. Thunderstorms are great where there is no hail and no tree damage and no tornadoes! Also, when you’re home and in bed. 🙂
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I can’t remember the last time we had a thunderstorm. I love them too though 🙂
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I love listening to thunderstorms too! And when there are none happening during a time in which I’d love to hear it (usually snuggled up, reading a book), I go to rain.simplynoise.com. It’s awesome 🙂
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I loved thunderstorms, too, in the northeast, but now that I live in the midwest they have an edge that makes them a bit scary. I’ll always remember an afternoon when I first moved to St. Louis – I went out onto the porch to watch a thunderstorm, then scurried back inside as violent winds drove the rain right under the roof and hail started pounding against the windowframes. Now I stay inside to listen – and hope the rain stays outside.
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They sometimes have an edge in Dallas, too. Those come with tornado warning sirens. I hate those. But the gentler ones bring back childhood memories. I think it’s the nostalgia I like the most. 🙂
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I have been meaning to comment on this post for so long!! Just a big I can SOO RELATE! We used to sit out in the livingroom or stand on the 11th floor balcony of the apartment building I grew up in with my Mom. We’d run from our beds to sit together and watch the sky light up vibrant blues and electric purples like neon sights exploding in the black of the night! My absolute favorite memories because it was also a time my mom really would be happy. She enjoyed them and shared that love with me, I never really worried about the storms when I was older thanks to this. We always danced, walked, or watched the ran. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks for the thunderstorm memories! Down here in Texas, thunderstorms can get really ugly, with very destructive tornadoes. But since I grew up in the Northeast, those aren’t in my memories and I can still enjoy the storms. Hopefully I can avoid the tornadoes. Glad you love thunderstorms, too! Sounds like you had some wonderful mom/daughter time as well. 🙂
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