The rain clouds yesterday brought back memories of home, Kerala, where it rains practically all year round. The gray clouds, together with the stark mountains over which they hovered, made a stunning sight that I could have danced, in my mind of course. for I am no graceful peacock that unfurls its long tail and dances in joy. Or so they say, the poets, I mean.

Frankly speaking, I have seen them, the peacocks, dance when the sun shines brightly overhead too. So I am not buying the poet’s version in all its entirety. Poets are wont to be imaginative creatures and can cook up a few beautiful thing or two for effect. Ask me about it, I should know being a minor, wee little insignificant one myself.

There, I have done it again, gone gallivanting into the countryside so to speak, instead of walking the straight and narrow path. Not that I ever regret wandering off. I dislike the straight narrow paths, winding ones may be, especially when they take you to nooks and crannies unexplored.

I especially have a thing about open countryside. Perhaps it is because we don’t have open spaces in my own land. In every direction you look, you’ll either find trees or buildings within a few feet. That’s also equally beautiful, the trees growing closely, the foliage that filters the sunlight and keeps things cool, or as cool can in the humidity. Here, in Muscat where I am now, I can see open spaces as far as the eye can see,  and mountains, and that’s awesome.  But let’s get back to rain clouds.

The distant mountains started disappearing after a while, a gray haze slowly covered first one peak, then another. The breeze became cooler, filled with moisture. How I recognized it from back home! Yeah, I love rain.That is if there is anyone left who does not know it already. Hehe. Soon the rumble of thunder could be heard and lightning streaked across the sky. And then it started to rain.

Unfortunately, the *show* started late in the evening, petrichor driving me crazy. I don’t have a picture of rain worth showing off. But I made quite a few rain-paintings [pictures taken through the windshield/glass of a moving vehicle] as we drove. They will have to wait till I get back home to be shared.

©Shail Mohan 2016