Wednesday’s Weather and Words. . . with Photos. . .


4:51 AM PDT Wednesday 29 March 2017

Rainfall warning in effect for:

  • Metro Vancouver

A long episode of rain, at times heavy, continues.



Further rainfall amounts of 15 to 25 mm are expected this morning as a moist frontal system moves across the south coast. The rain will change to showers near midday as the system moves inland. Total rainfall amounts until 4 am ranged from 40 to 70 mm to as high as 90 mm along the North Shore and in Coquitlam.

Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads. Localized flooding in low-lying areas is possible.

It’s getting a bit Biblical around here in the weather department. . . very easy to imagine 40 Days and 40 Nights of this grey, wet stuff, but who needs to imagine when we can simply look outside. And then look at the forecast for the next week. . . Although there is “a mix of sun and cloud” predicted, between the showers, for next Monday. . . Ah, Vancouver, so beautiful in the sunshine. . . I remember when. . .

In fact, we did have a few hours of weather joy on the weekend, and I took some photos to prove it.

 Someone’s done a great job of landscaping the complex here, and I love the peeling bark on this tree, one of several of the same variety. I’ll wait until the leaves emerge to try to identify it — could it be Acer griseum (paperbark maple), I hope, I hope?

 All over Vancouver now, despite the rain, cherry blossoms are opening, readying themselves to shine on the first sunny day, doing their best in the meantime to brighten the grey ones, their delicate blossoms risking the rain which may soon make a beautiful and ephemeral carpet of them. . .

Can I tell you that the car in the photo above is one I waited for, snapping photo after photo of this tree from various angles and with different depths of field (all managed by my iPhone camera, of course, so much hoping and wishing, from me). I missed the yellow cab which would have made the perfect background, in my estimation, but this flash of orange isn’t bad….

 And forsythia, in a local community garden. . .

 Seriously, can there ever be too many forsythia photos?

 You might be nodding, Yes, Yes there can be, but you’re not living in constant rain, are you?

 I was so happy to see the sun that I even found beauty in its illumination of these potentially banal, repurposed-as-watering-cans, green plastic containers.

And speaking of happiness. . . your supportive comments to Sunday’s post made me very, very. Happy! I appreciate your support so much. So far this week I’ve managed a thousand words on that private writing project, incremental progress toward what, I’m not sure, but I’m trying to honour the process and have some confidence in myself.

Another cause for happiness was finding that, contrary to my disappointed belief that no one had responded to my invitation to chat about a poem (mentioned here, located here, there was actually a trove of responses hidden in plain sight on my Blogger Dashboard. You can read about the reasons for my misplaced disappointment, and my happy correction, in this post. And if you have any interest at all in poetry or are simply curious to sit what this blog community can do with it, check out the wealth of comments at that original post . . . and add yours, if you’re so inspired. I’m going to write a bit more about the poem itself and the process of starting a conversation about it . . . soon, over at my reading blog.

For now, I’ve written this post, finished writing my Morning Pages, and now Pater and I are heading out for a first session with a fitness trainer. More on that later, if you’re interested. For now, do leave me a comment if you’re so motivated. And have a lovely day, or at least the best possible in your circumstances . . .

16 Comments

  1. Coastal Ripples
    29 March 2017 / 7:44 pm

    I know those days so well. Interminable rain. We're dry at he moment, long may it last. Enjoying your pops of colour, definitely needed on grey days. Good luck with the trainer, I look forward to what he has to say. I'm guessing you are doing lots of great things already :). B x

    • materfamilias
      5 April 2017 / 3:46 pm

      We had a break of two sunny days, but back in the rain now.
      Yes, I should report on the trainer. . . she's making it fun so far.

  2. donnyb
    29 March 2017 / 10:36 pm

    I agree, I am very tired of all this rain we are having (our backyard is a little lake in several places). I hate to think what 'April showers' will mean in our area. I'd love to start working in the garden, but all it is is mud at the moment. Even my daffodils haven't come to life yet. Lyn

    • materfamilias
      5 April 2017 / 3:49 pm

      Well, we're getting a re-education in April Showers!

  3. Elle
    30 March 2017 / 12:47 am

    Buckets of rain here in Seattle as well. On one rare sunny day, it seemed that half of the population had streamed into the parks, stripping off clothing en route. We are desperate–saved only by forsythia and quince.

    • materfamilias
      5 April 2017 / 3:49 pm

      Yes! That's what happens here as well! Everyone gets out straightaway when the sun shines, desperate for the endorphins and the light.

  4. Anonymous
    30 March 2017 / 8:36 am

    There can never be too many forsythia photos. Nor blossom. I was in London, in the middle of what is essentially a huge roundabout with a church in the midst, when I came across beautifully blossoming cherry trees. It was like standing under magical light and the scent was so delicate…I did take pics but they don't do them justice. I was also amused to notice a large billboard (electronic) that was giving the weather forecast for the following day: fairly pleasant. That seemed to me a very British description.

    • materfamilias
      5 April 2017 / 3:50 pm

      I remember just such a London scene from a few years ago. It was fairly pleasant indeed 😉

  5. High Heels in the Wilderness
    30 March 2017 / 5:29 pm

    Hello! Just dropping by to say "hi." I have not read a single blog since the middle of February. So I'm trying to catch up a bit. And feeling glad to be home. And, you know, feeling super happy and verrrry blessed to be living the life we do. South America really opened my eyes to so many things. I had no idea I was so naive. Sorry to hijack your comments with an unrelated topic. Now… speaking of rain…hoping for that here in Ottawa instead of the promised snow:) Interested to hear how you make out with a fitness trainer.

    • materfamilias
      5 April 2017 / 3:51 pm

      You can hijack my comments anytime you like. I can imagine that's a big experience to integrate. . . as for that rain, be careful what you wish for…

  6. Diana Studer
    31 March 2017 / 10:25 pm

    NOT fair! We only got two millimetres today, and we so desperately need our rain.

    • materfamilias
      5 April 2017 / 3:52 pm

      Is yours breaking 60-year weather records as well?

  7. Mardel
    1 April 2017 / 1:35 am

    OH the forsythia! How lovely.

    • materfamilias
      5 April 2017 / 3:52 pm

      I'm not really a fan of yellow in the garden, but foolish to argue about the glory of forsythia in March, right?

  8. Alison Watt
    4 April 2017 / 3:01 am

    I'm pretty sure that's Acer griseum–I can't think of anything else with that bark

    • materfamilias
      5 April 2017 / 3:53 pm

      I'm thinking so too, Alison, glad of the extra confirmation from a knowledgeable gardener.

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