First Rain, First Award

I know, I'm crazy. I love rain. I love overcast. I love cold. Maybe I'm a vampire. Wouldn't be so bad since it's so trendy these days. I've talked before about how I'm so weird that I love what most normal people call "depressing" weather. But I swear to gosh - the first day of rain in the Fall makes me SO HAPPY. And the first day of warm sunny heat in the Spring makes me just a little depressed.

Our first rain... was actually last month

I'm so flattered!

So technically our first rain (and the day I took these pictures) was the first weekend of October. And it was basically a fast shower that came through like mad and left in a hurry. But it was this past weekend that we truly got our first rain. A few days of it actually - which made me feel like it was finally okay to post these pictures and talk about rain coming. In fact, this weekend held so much rain that a friend's wedding which was supposed to be outside, had to be pulled indoors!

WHAT in God's name?!?

This shower also represented Lucca's first rain encounter. She was fascinated...until it pooled and dribbled off the [still open] patio umbrella directly onto her back. Then she'd had enough and promptly came back inside.

This is one serious shower!

Ah, I love it when the rain is so fierce you actually go to the window or open the front door to see it with your own eyes. Is it really raining or is someone dumping gravel on the driveway - over and over again?

The other first, I'm happy to report - my first blog award! Back in the "early blogging days", I remember seeing these little .jpgs posted on various blogs and would wonder who grants such an award? Can I right-click-save-as and deem my own blog EXCELLENT? I figured no.

But Karen at Something Sweet by Karen seems to think my blog is cool, pretty and informative enough that I get an Excellent Award from her! Thanks so very much Karen! I'm thoroughly flattered!

Lucca is flattered also

This is the part where I tag others and deem their blogs Excellent as well. I always have a problem here because I feel like most of the blogs I read are "heavily trafficked" ones and I'm sure everyone and their mother is sending Excellent awards over to them all the time. But I suppose everyone should know I think they're excellent. So *sigh* here goes...

~Anita at Dessert First - not only a beautiful blog, a Bay Area girl just releasing her FIRST COOK[ie]BOOK! And my first "blogging" friend too. :)
~Jen at Use Real Butter - a woman who reminds me of a much cooler version of myself. Everyone loves Jen's blog with its honesty about life and visual "fantasticalness".
~Venus at L'Atelier Vi - another Bay Area girl with truly beautiful photography, delicious looking goodies and an amazing eye for aesthetic!
~Vera at Baking Obsession - I've tagged you before Vera because I LOVE your pictures and your food but this time no responsibilities. Just know that you're excellent!

I'm changing the rules here too - Anita, Jen, Venus and Vera - feel free to tag any other blogs you deem Excellent. If that means none - so be it. If it means you don't have the time - no worries. If it means you tag your 1 fav - awesome! Please tag no more than 10 and let them know you think they're Excellent by commenting on their blog and posting about them on your own. Then write me a comment when/if you pass along the award.

Happy rainstorms to you all!