Rain all evening. Deep, drenching, pervasive rain. I dug into my clothing duffles and brought out my rain pants for the first time. I eagerly slipped them on over my new, fleece-lined tights and then wiggled unto my rain slicker. Ahhhh. All is well. I was reminded of the saying, “There is no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.” This has never been truer than now, as I camp in rainy SE Alaska.
The rain continued as I retired to the big tent. It is holding against the deluge, and with Mr. Heater on, I found it comfortable and warm. Tango was a bit wet around the edges so I I folded my blanket poncho in half and lay it over his bed. He shivered and crawled in as I moved the heater closer to him. He dried out quickly and was soon snoring, making those bear-like noises that make me laugh. I read, surfed the Internet on my phone (good Internet since I am near town) and then, finally, just listened to the rain. The forecast showed rain for the next 7 days. Some days predicted “showers” , other days I saw “rain”. Is the distinction a matter of frequency or volume? I only hope that the rain will be intermittent, not all day. I need to cook outside, at least most of the time!
Last night’s rain stopped sometime before I awoke at 4 AM to a bright world. I found my hat and gloves, then made coffee on the one-burner stove. While I hugged my coffee, Tango and I retreated to the car and I turned on the heater. Brrrr.
I had many days of rain in Wrangell and I made a commitment to just enjoy my experience and stay positive. I was rewarded with many beautiful days, so I renewed that vow to stay positive.
April Rain, Langston Hughes
Let the rain kiss you
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops
Let the rain sing you a lullaby
The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk
The rain makes running pools in the gutter
The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night
And I love the rain.
Love the rain? Not quite there yet, but I am positive.
The world is magical in the 4 AM light. The forest floor is covered with moss and looks soft and spongy. Fog hangs over the lake and pond but the mountaintops peer above. I see only patchy clouds and some blue sky. Blue sky, blue sky. I compare this rainy experience to my winter in New Mexico, when it rained only a few times. Here, I am surrounded by water, there, even the river beds were dry.
Around 8 AM, Vickie and I will take our dogs on the Waterfall Trail, near Mendenhall Glacier. We will start near the visitor center towards a tall waterfall that feeds the lake. Can’t wait to spend more time with her and to get some exercise. Hopefully, our time will be rain-free.
