I was in eastern Pennsylvania visiting family over the holidays. Rain seemed to be the dominant theme of the visit, and the moisture was quite welcome. This area had been suffering near-drought conditions for a good part of 2007.
Rain presents unique challenges to a photographer — such as how to protect the camera — but it also provides many opportunities. I found that in-between time between the end of the rain and the return of dry weather to be especially rich.
Although the water is no longer falling from the sky, it’s still coming down from rooftops, like the one at the grade school that I attended for three years. The school builders placed drip basins below the downspouts, and they were filled with all sorts of rocks and pebbles. Perfect for us young geologists. I wasn’t the only kid who scoured the basins for unique specimens.
Several decades later, those basins still catch rain — and my attention:
One thing to keep in mind about Pennsylvanians: We’re tree people.
And, sometimes we’re faced with the unfortunate decision of having to cut one down. Take, for example, that huge oak that shaded my family’s driveway for many years. Alas, the tree started leaning toward toward the house. So, down it came. We felt vindicated once it was removed — those hollow spaces near the center are not signs of arboreal health.
