All places have their "firsts" to mark the changes in the seasons, and L.A. is no exception. Today we had our first rain of Autumn, and I couldn't be happier!

I was relaxing with Joe in the bedroom this evening after he got home from work. He was really tired, having not slept much the night before, and he drifted off to sleep lying next to me. I sat there in the dim light of the room as evening climbed upon us, when Homer disturbed the stillness by running through the vertical blinds. As they swung like pendulums, I saw the big reflective windows of the building across the street, and caught a glimpse of an incredible fiery orange sunset. "Is that what the sky looks like outside right now?!" I said to myself.

I scrambled out of bed, threw on my sandals, pulled on my sweatshirt, snatched my camera off my desk and the keys off the shelf, and hurried out the door. I looked at the sky, across from the large reflective building, and it was gone. That moment of fire orange sky had passed, and left in its wake was a more subtlely beautiful bluish-pink combination. And all around me, I noticed droplets of rain on everything. A few droplets were still coming down from the sky. I breathed deeply, inhaling the aroma of rain, a smell I've always loved.

I decided to take a walk and capture more shots of this first rain, and as I did, the rain plafully picked up, spattering down harder. I laughed and turned my face toward the sky, delighting in the feel of cool raindrops falling against my skin. I took a few more shots, as passersby hurried by me, rushing to get out of the rain. I snapped shots of cars' headlights, puddles, and that awesome river current against the curb that I've always loved since I was a kid. It's one of my favorite parts of rainstorms! I used to squat by the curb and watch it run, watch leaves being ushered quickly downstream. In Texas, during really hard rains, the curb rivers would grow wider and wider. Sometimes I liked to jump across them, from the street to my curb and back again.

As kids in San Antonio, summers were so hot that we delighted in rain storms, especially the really pouring storms! I remember how, even in high school, all of us ran outside during our school breaks, running in circles in the pouring rain, laughing and dancing around, something we'd done since we were children. We'd come back inside, drenched for classes, as our teachers shook their heads at us, fondly marveling at our strange love of rain.

I smiled as I thought back on those moments and let myself break into a little skip. Then I noticed I was stepping over puddles and thought, why? I'm just going to take a shower when I get inside... So I looked around, to make sure no one was around to get in my way (or laugh at me!). Then I took a few steps back slowly, then ran them forward and jumped into a puddle. It was kind of shallow, still, so it didn't make a huge splash. That was sort of disappointing, but it was still fun to let go, to play in the puddles. I jumped in another, hopped into the next. Then I came upon a nice one and stomped into it, splashing water up into the air. It was so cool, I giggled with glee!

I continued on my way home, snapping a few more shots, beaming at the sensation of soul-cleansing rain droplets falling down upon me. Finally, I came inside, took a nice warm shower, and basked in the joy of the changing season with a nice warm cat draped across my lap. I love Autumn.

(The rest of the rain pics are here.)