“Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.” John Ruskin
Reflections: Stormy Weather and Good Times... beauty in thunder & lightning in Madeira
It’s been raining all day, on and off, in my neck of the woods and my children assure me the weather will be this way all week. I don’t mind the rains as I have lots of good memories of either playing in the rain as a child, or curling up in bed, listening to the pitter patter sound on my roof and windowpane while contemplating reading a good book. I was not thinking about a post on the weather until I saw the Plinky prompt: Describe what perfect weather means to you. Hm mm, how about a stress-free day, rainy or sunny, soothing music, a good book, great company anyone?
Oddly, the next thought that came to mind after I read the prompt was the beautiful song made famous by Lena Horne, Stormy Weather, lyrics below. I had to chuckle because my muse was pulling me in two directions; the blues and the blissful. I am convinced that the weather does affect our mood and not always in a bad way… Cold, wet weather makes me reflective, while bright, sunny weather makes me active and eager to go outdoors. Both are important to my writing… and I would say perfect weather depends on our perspective and mood.
Reflections: Stormy Weather and Good Times... Endeavor's Final Voyage via NASA
Reflections: Stormy Weather and Good Times... lush and green Abuja
As I searched for the right quotes to add to my piece, I’m writing this on a chilly, rainy evening, I came across a quote from a dear old literary friend, 
“Conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative,” Oscar Wilde, and it got me thinking of that classic conversation starter in London, “Lovely day, inn’it?” Excuse me Oscar, but everyone has an opinion about the weather, and while it could lead to unimaginative chitchat, it is fair game and a door to more pithy dialogue; if the gods allow it and both parties are eager. By the way, nice weather or not, today was NASA’s count down to its last space rocket mission: Endeavor’s Final Voyage… After Endeavor will be Atlantis and then silence. It made me wistful as I watched the takeoff. 
♥
A chat about the weather can lead us down the road to a new friendship and even a song; albeit a bluesy one. So sit back, put your feet up, think of the good times, and enjoy the song… Lena sings “Stormy Weather,” a yearning for a long lost lover. I split the lyrics in two so more lyrics below. Perfect for a rainy day. How does the weather affect you? Do you have a perfect weather day in mind? 
Stormy Weather ~ Lena Horne
Written by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler
Don’t know why, there’s no sun up in the sky
Stormy weather, since my man and I ain’t together
Keeps raining all the time
Life is bare, gloom and misery everywhere
Stormy weather, just can’t get my poor old self together
I’m weary all the time, the time, so weary all of the time
When he went away, the blues walked in and met me
If he stays away, old rocking chair will get me
All I do is pray, the lord above will let me
walk in the sun once more
Can’t go on, everything I had is gone
Stormy weather, since my man and I ain’t together
Keeps raining all the time
Keeps raining all of the time
