I love summer. Really. I love the heat and the sunshine. I love lying in the sun for hours. After our last winter in Boston lasted seven months, I enjoy every day with temperatures of over 10°C. Even more the ones over 20°C. What I don’t like is humidity. Unfortunately, last weekend it was extremely humid and hot in the City. We left the A.C. running, had the shades down and windows closed, and we tried to not even go outside. Yesterday evening everything changed when big thunderstorms approached. I took a walk outside just then because those last few minutes just before the storm are immensely beautiful. It is dark and you can almost feel the rain in the air. Only it hasn’t started yet. Townhouses are lit. People race home or hurry along with their dog for a quick walk. Then, suddenly it starts pouring and thundering. I took cover under a scaffold and watched a busy junction. Cars were slowing down, pedestrians accelerated, some holding their bags or shirts over themselves. The Empire State Building slowly vanished in the rain. Masses of water gurgled down the road, created streams and even rapids at gully covers. Everything else seems to quiet down. No more honking or screaming. Maybe a little kid with a colorful umbrella and tiny rubber boots screeching at the rain and admiring it at the same time. A few thunderbolts that lighten up the road, but can’t be properly seen due to the high buildings around. One refreshing breath of air and then another. Absolutely stunning.
© janavar