Rainy Days Here... and There.

Via Fillungo~Lucca, Italy

I am enjoying these rainy days... really, what else can we do? Stay inside, organize cupboards and drawers. Go through recipes that have been clipped all winter long, what to save and what to toss. These days I'm remembering an evening in Lucca, Italy. I had, along with my sister and my niece, stepped outside of our hotel and it was raining. A warm and gentle rain. Not what we wanted for our stay in this ancient walled village, but we were there and a little rain wasn't going to spoil our parade. We stepped out onto Via Fillungo-one of the main streets in Lucca- the one that houses the really great shops and cafes. As we walked, heading to our trattoria of choice for our evening meal, the rains came and there in front of us dozens of colorful umbrellas opened wide, shielding the passers-by of the drizzle. Unfortunately the camera I was using at the time did not cooperate for this magical photo. There were umbrellas everywhere- dozens of them in all colors!

I couldn't help but remember that evening on this rainy day and decided a walk with my umbrella would help me to embrace and consider all that a good rainy day can bring. I walked with a slow pace remembering that evening; the anticipation of arriving at our destination, sipping rich, red wine and ordering whatever the special was of the evening. It reminded me to slow down, to enjoy the rainy days as well as the warm, sunny days, for each one holds its own special story. A sunny day can invite us outside to dig among the winter debris to see if spring has brought us some new growth. A rainy day beckons a walk along a gravel road and warm thoughts of spring to follow.

Are you experiencing rainy, spring weather? What do you do to "embrace" it???

Image~ Via Fillungo-Lucca, Italy {dkimages}