This may seem like an odd title. And maybe a bit like a farmers cry for water. But, thats not what I am trying to get at, although man I do love a good rain for the plants, trees, animals and waterways.

This is my opinion on the importance of rainy days during the busy summer months.

From May through September, things move faster. We fill our days with work, with bike rides, bbq’s, beach picnics, afterwork drinks, the list goes on ! We rush outdoors during every blue skied free minute of the day to catch rays, brown our skin, and fill up on vitamin D. And this is a very very good thing !

But I do believe, that sometimes it is to much. We overwhelm ourselves with loud music, outdoor workouts, gardening, and park visits, that we sometimes forget to slow down.

And nothing does this better than rain.

Yesterday evening, the sky turned so many colours of blue, grey and violet like I have never seen before. It stopped so many people in their tracks, including me, to just watch in awe. The clouds that formed overhead were magnificent, I believe my mouth even hung open. I strolled along alone, as the lighting and thunder started, popping open my umbrella when the drops came, but continuing my evening stroll, just as planned. I saw the light change, and the flowers become more vibrant. I watched people hide under trees, and cover themselves with random objects to stay dry. They were of course, trying to enjoy their afterwork beers outdoors on a hot Wednesday evening. But sometimes, things do not go as planned.

And that is why I love the rainy days, just as much as the sunny ones. Because when things get to be too much, the rain stops us in our tracks. It makes us dress accordingly and washes our face with fresh water. It forces us to move slower and more consciously. We wait, and listen, and look and relax, because the expectations of “experiencing” every summer moment to its fullest, calms a bit. The heavy summer air cools things down, the winds pick up, and NATURE IS IN CHARGE again. Arn’t Summer storms are just magnificent !

Almost two weeks ago a group of us did just this, spending time together, even on the rainy days, in a rented apartment in the Zilertal Vally in Tirol, Austria. The beautiful home we stayed in is literally called the “Magic Mountain” and for good reason. https://www.zillertal.at/buchen/unterkunft/detail/430020095/zauberberg.html

Johanna and Wolfgang were magnificent hosts, and were so happy to have us come to stay. We were the first guests to come into in the apartment after the COVID-19 restrictions had been changed, and boy am I glad we went. After opening these apartments only in February, our presence seemed a Godsend for their business. They have spent the last 2 years renovating this old family Chalet, putting detail and personal touches into every inch of the home as well as doing almost all the work themselves! They now have had to endure three and a half long months of no guests. So please help them out if you can :) They will soon be moving into the main floor apartment with a garden, and will continue to rent out the first and top floor, all year long to tourists, visitors and guests. If you need a place to get away, this is a beauty. I hope to go back soon !

Below you will see images of our midsummer weekend. It was filled with slow mornings, a long rainy hike, yoga on the terrace, and lots of mountain views.

Happy start of Summer 2020 everyone, and don’t forget to welcome the rain, just as much as the sun :)