I’ve been following the weather forecast all week, daring to hope for a bit of rain. When I drove downtown this morning, NPR reported possible rain by midnight. The forecast changed again, and we’re now hoping for Sunday at noon. The rain may pass us all together, but that’s too sad to contemplate. We need this rain.
I walked through the garden at dusk, enjoying that special charge in the air when the weather approaches.
If you’re a weather nerd like me, you probably know that: “people can smell a storm from far away. A sensitive snout is smelling ozone, petrichor, and geosmin; in other words, the nose smells oxygen, the debris that raindrops kick up and wet bacteria.” Move over Chanel No 5: there’s a better smell in town.
Negative ions are also present when it rains. This WebMD article, Negative Ions Create Positive Vibes, explains the science behind the mood-elevating properties.
In anticipation of a bit of precipitation, I brought the outdoor cushions inside. I folded back the cover to the VegTrug, so the plants don’t miss a drop if it rains. The strawberries are producing fruit, and with the cover in place, they’ve been left undisturbed.
Unfortunately, I don’t think the tomatoes are doing as well undercover. They look a bit pale. I’ll have to stake them soon anyway, so I’ll remove the cover for good this week. Hopefully, Tessa behaves herself so the fruit can thrive.
Come on, rain!petri
Gardening Nirvana 
Fingers crossed for your rain tomorrow. Everything and everybody will feel fresh and renewed by it. We haven’t really had a ‘rain’ yet. Our moisture came by way of snow because the temps that day were low. But I’ll take it. It’s hard to know what the weather will be day to day. It’s really bouncing around up here. Spring is so unpredictable. xK
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I could smell it, too!
Just a tease
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I am waiting for an inch on Monday.
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If you can believe it – and I hardly can – we too are needing some rain and it’s April and it’s England!!
I hope you get yours soon.
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We finally got some good rain here last night. I like your VegTrug setup.
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Petrichor! Geosming?! I’m learning something every day from your blog! April in the UK is associated with showers but as Lynn mentioned I don’t think it’s rained once this month. During my run this morning I saw clouds of dust rise up from the field (it’s very windy and on the cold side). The forecast says there might a shower here and there next week and tomorrow is my first day in the office in a year (as in, rather than working from home) so I’ll deliberately leave the brolly at home – to tempt fate. If it works, I’ll let you know to leave the cushions outside!
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This was very informative, Alys. I love rain and am very sensitive to sunlight so I always welcome every drop we have here. It’s been dryer than normal for several years here too. We were supposed to get rain again at 3 pm. Sun is still out there. ;( I sure hope you got got some of that liquid gold.
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When was the last good rainfall? It sounds like you didn’t get very much over Winter. My fingers are crossed for a wonderful downpour of steady, soaking rain.
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Nothing smells better than rain in spring and summer. Hope the rain comes for you!
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I agree!
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I love the smell of petrichor, almost as good as cut grass. We get much higher than average humidity here without it actually raining, and you really can smell the water in the air, it’s like being in the shower. I don’t know if it’s the tiny droplets clinging to the hairs in your nose, but there’s definitely an indefinable aroma. Fingers crossed you get a good, gentle, steady drenching, which wets the soil thoroughly without smashing your plants.
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My rain dance hasn’t helped yet then? 😉 I love that smell of rain after a long dry period. It is so infuriating in summer though when you smell it and it passes you by by just half a mile or so….
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Wondering if it rained … I’ll keep on following along to see.
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