It’s easy to love the warm and sunny days of summer. After all, what’s not to like about ice cream in cones, short sleeves and balmy breezes. But what about the rainy, grey parts of summer that include the wet and damp days that mean more bugs and less days out at the lake swimming and working on your tan? Here’s a few reasons why you may want to give them a chance too:
- The Coziness: A moody rainy day calls for a cup of hot chocolate, a bowl of soup and your favourite sweater. To me there are few things cozier and more relaxing than curling up at the end of the day under a blanket with a good book and the sound of rain on the roof.
- The Gear: There’s no article of clothing that makes me feel like a little kid again quite as much as a pair of rain boots does. A good rain jacket, a sturdy umbrella and a comfortable pair of rubber boots can make even the biggest downpour a fun adventure. Rainy days can motivate you to dig out your cute rain gear and go looking for some puddles to jump in.
- The Mushrooms: Rain and thunderstorms are incredibly effective at awakening the network of mycelia beneath the forest floor. A few days of rain and you’re almost guaranteed to be greeted with all sorts of tasty fungi on your next walk in the woods. And it’s not just the rain that we have to thank. I’ve heard people in the Peruvian Andes say mushrooms are especially plentiful after thunderstorms and after a bit of research online it seems that people in other parts of the world, such as Japan, also have similar beliefs. According to a four-year study carried out at Iwate University in northern Japan, there’s actually scientific truth to it. They concluded that the electrical charge from lightning really does cause mushrooms to multiply.
- The Berries: Summer is berry season but extended periods of hot and dry weather can shrivel up even the most seemingly promising berry crops. On the other hand, a well timed rainfall can help make the juiciest and biggest strawberries and raspberries you’ve ever seen. No amount of watering (whether by hand or with a hose) seems to have the same effect on berries or on your garden in general as a few really rainy days can have. Nothing can beat nature’s original sprinkler system.
- The Sound: As anyone who’s ever slept in a tent on a rainy night can attest to, the pitter patter of rain has a very calming, repetitive and nonthreatening rhythm to it that is said to lower anxiety levels, regulate our breathing and heart rate, mask other noises and trigger an increase in melatonin secretions (especially if you don’t have to worry about packing up a wet tent the next day). If you can’t get the real thing, Youtube is filled with thousands of hours of videos of rain sounds that promise to soothe, relax and even cure insomnia.
- The Smell: Have you ever noticed the sweet earthy smell that follows the first rainfall after a warm dry stretch of summer? That smell is called petrichor and according to Wikipedia, scientists believe that we humans may be especially sensitive to that scent and appreciate it so much because our ancestors relied on rainy weather for survival for thousands of years. Take a deep breath the next time it’s rained and pay attention to the unique aroma and pleasant combination of soil and plant life mixed with water.
- The Green: According to the Meteorological Service of Canada, Whitehorse is one of Canada’s driest cities. So it makes sense that in the course of a warm dry summer things often start to get a bit brown in the forest. The lichen becomes crunchy under one’s feet and the forest doesn’t seem to have that distinctly green lushness anymore. A few days of rain can transform everything though. Moss recovers its softness and deep viridescent colour and tiny puddles of water form in the middle of lupin leaves that look fit for a fairy to drink from.
- The Rainwater: Harvesting the rainwater from your roof with gutters and collecting it for your garden is not only a great way to conserve groundwater and nourish your plants but it also saves the energy required for tap water. (https://www.premiertechaqua.com/en-ca/rainwater/rainwater-harvesting-worth-it). Rainwater is free from treatment chemicals and harmful salts as well as being naturally “soft” (low in calcium and magnesium) and slightly acidic which helps plants absorb nutrients from the soil. It also contains bioavailable nitrates that tap water doesn’t (https://www.bluebarrelsystems.com/blog/rainwater-for-garden/). Not only is rainwater good for your garden but it also washes away the dust and pollen from everything outside leaving everything clean and refreshed and its “softness” is even said to be good for your skin and hair. As the Germans say “Regen macht schön” (rain makes you beautiful).
- The Pause: A rainy day can give you a reason to take a break, to change your plans, to stay home and maybe even go to bed early. Sometimes we forget that we can do those things and so when a rainy day arrives it can come as a welcome excuse to take a breather.
The Fresh Perspective: Whether it’s a steady drizzle or the kind of downpour that some refer to as a “frog strangler,” a rainy day will make you appreciate the rainbows and sunny days that come afterwards so much more. We can’t change the weather so we might as well find ways to enjoy it. As Langston Hughes wrote in his poem April Rain Song “Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.” And then, when the sun breaks through the clouds again, be grateful.
