What about this?

Like a million, twinkling, little lights, raindrops decorate the thin bare branches of ornamental trees and raindrops fall creating overlapping, concentric circles in the already rippled water of the pool. Gusting winds turn bird feeders into revolving circus rides for hungry little birds trying to feed. And as the feeders swirl around and around and up and down, the birds hold on for dear life as they peck away at the seed. Even during a storm, my yard is a source of wonder.

#1 – Umbrella Art
I have rain on my brain these days and with thoughts of rain comes thoughts of umbrellas. I never considered umbrellas as an art medium, but after seeing these photos of umbrella art installations, I’ve changed my mind!

#2 – How Much Rain is A Lot of Rain?
Just how much rain is a lot of rain – it’s all relative, right? My curiosity led me to the Big Site of Amazing Facts to find these answers:

The average city in the United States might receive 25 to 45 inches of rain in a year. New York receives about 43 inches, and Dallas about 32 inches.

Lloro, Colombia, in South America receives the highest average annual precipitation on earth, which makes it the wettest place in the world. An estimated 523.6 inches (1,330 cm) of rain falls every year, according to the U.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.

#3 -Reuse It!
Other than using it to cover your head from the pouring rain, there are many different ways to reuse newspapers. Here’s a cute and clever idea – make gift bags out of them! The blog How About Orange has a tutorial on how to make gift bags from newspapers. Now when I read the morning paper, I’ll be looking for colorful ads to use for the gift bags I’m going to make!

#4 – Droplets of Water
You’ll be impressed by these amazing and creative photos taken by Steve Wall, an amateur photographer. With his macro lens he captures the reflective beauty of water droplets. After seeing his work you’ll appreciate both the work of nature and the work of the artist.

#5 – Gentle Rain
Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man’s growth without destroying his roots.
Frank Howard Clark

Whatever the weather, enjoy your weekend!