the benevolent gift of rain

We have had both steady and intermittent rain here in the valley for the past three days. It started Friday evening, rained all night and most of Saturday, and then off and on today. Lovely. Filled up the fountain basin, watered all the plants, washed off the car. Everything smells so fresh, the leaves ~ what's left of them ~ are clean of the accumulated autumn dust. Shrubs and lawns are green and shiny again, for another few weeks before the cold sets it. We had a fire in the bedroom fireplace this afternoon. It doesn't give off much heat but it looks beautiful. Today dawned bright and clear but then clouded over and has been dark and damp since 2 o'clock.

Today's rainy afternoon matinee was Michael Clayton with George Clooney. It may also have been the last movie Sydney Pollack made. I think he was a fine actor and a good director. Tilda Swinton won an Academy Award for her portrayal of an uptight ethically corrupt lawyer. Clooney finds sweet redemption at her expense.

Rainy afternoon reading is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson. It's one of those can't-put-it-down reads. The author wrote a trilogy of mysteries; this is the first. The second will be published in the US next year. I marvel at good translators of foreign language books. This is a particularly good example.


One more day until the election. Don't forget to vote, early and often!