and the thunder rolls

a wonderful thing about the east coast has been the rolling storms. not the weather, but the mild-ish/non evacuating storms. we had another flash flood after returning from irene & we literally couldn't leave our house. just for a night but still it was intense. but i'm talking about an average night of rainfall. everyone i've talked to says this year has been louder & crazier than any they remember.

you'll be outside playing & the sky turns grey in a matter of seconds. mid-day can look like dusk.

then thunder hits.
the first crack is so booming you literally jump & it continues to grumble for nearly a full minute. ellery runs around calling "biiig thunder!". the 'big' is in this baritone, cartoony voice & it is hilarious. cossette freezes & her eyes get even wider. yes, it is possible. :) you can hear it barreling toward you in this deep beautiful echo as it reverberates across the sky. it's my favorite part.

then you wait until the first lightning bolt bursts through the clouds. it splinters into multiple paths, jumping from cloud to cloud in this incredible wave.

after stopping everything you were doing to huddle at the window or on the front step & watch this amazing back & forth, the sky seems to open up & like a massive tub of water it pours like you have never seen it pour. & you happen to be from portland, oregon. it is literally like standing under a waterfall in every direction.

then 10 minutes later it all stops & you look above & wonder if it ever even happened.

suddenly fireflies start popping up across the yard.

it's extraordinary.