The Rain-Color Song

Sunset is almost here and I’m off work. With glee, I hoist Bird to his post on my shoulder, snatch my guitar bag, and make a quick exit to my car for our ritual. A short drive finds me parking by the hill at CA and trying to coax Bird to go outside with me for the third time today. I’m demanding on little indoor-loving birds ;)

I find our favorite patch of grass and pull out my guitar while Rabbit settles into his preening. The clouds shroud the sun and obscure the sunset colors that I often look to for music inspiration. This evening the air is tingling fresh as it sweeps over summer grass, heralding the promise of rain. Mmm. It more than makes up for any sunset splashed across the sky canvas. A gentle thunder rolls from one horizon to the other. My fingers pluck the strings while dark blue clouds tumble and dance towards me. I lean my head back and breathe deep the scent-colors of coming rain and evergreen. Intuitively, my fingers find chord-colors to match. Another gentle thunder softly calls across the expanse. I echo it with my lowest string while I play the waltz of scent-colors on the higher strings.

Looking up and to my left, I see a beautiful streak of rain like a blue bride’s veil shimmering. I accompany it as it flows in the wind. The breeze, now steady, carries only the scent of almost here rain. Bird notices and stops preening. My fingers tease the strings in a quickening syncopated style as little raindrop feet patter towards me. Bird starts to worry about getting wet as I hurry to conclude the rain-color song. Now big drops of sky collide against the Earth. I stash my guitar in its bag and rush for the car. Bird leans forward with all his might as if to say “Faster Mom. Faster! I’m melting!!”

Just as we duck inside the car, the veil of rain is upon us. It encompasses the little valley in a cleansing deluge deserving of its own unique song. It is all one long symphony with numerous movements in the ongoing and changing theater of nature.