Thunderstorms and Lightning

At precisely 5:20 this morning I was woken up by a rumble in the distance. One of those rare Cape thunderstorms moving in!

Now there's few things I love as much as a good thunderstorm. Growing up in Zimbabwe, summer was all about heat and storm, rain pelting down while the heavens crashed and shuddered after a day of cicadas zinging in the trees and dusty dryness. (It was as a kid that I developed my "rain-sense" - I can smell it coming to a two-day accuracy - someone should pay me for this one.. :-) )

So of course I simply had to get up and take a good look in my half-awake state.

After shutting down my son's computer I opened the blinds in my bedroom wide, lay in bed, and watched the skies flicker, felt the vibrating thunder roll through the room, and heard the rain start to pelt down, hot and heavy. It was mostly cloud-lit high sheet lightning, but at least one large bolt snaked down to earth in full view of my little square of glass.

I don't know what it is that attracts me to voilent weather. If I could, I'd be chasing tornados for a living. Yes, one of my favourite movies happens to be "Twister" and I hang out at this site a lot.

Although we make the trek to my grandparent's farm upcountry to see them whenever possible, I secretly go in the hope of catching a couple of good summer storms... :-) Our last trip netted an incredible hailstorm that chased us home on Christmas day, the colour of the tar road in my rear-view mirror, swirling in a gigantic circle of power and wind. My car still bears a couple of chips out the windscreen where the stones struck as we sheltered beneath a big tree, not quite making it home in time.

I've spent many a night with the lights off, either glued to the window or buffeted by gusting winds outside, feeling the power of nature whip around me, giving just the smallest tingle of fear and awe at what the elements can do.

As the seasons shift and cold and heat clash together, you'll find me watching, listening and experiencing the wilder side of nature at work, goose-bump happy right down to my toenails.