This was yesterday morning…
…as it happens there was a picture on the TV weather forecast last weekend taken from the same spot: it’s always nice to see Bottoms on the television, and the reservoir is looking good when the weather is nice.
Today is different. A drizzly, small, dense rain has started, and it’s hard to see very much at all. I find comfort, though, in the grey blanket, and the promise of water for the ground after a bit of a dry spell. However, this time the dry spell has been very brief, and tomorrow’s promised rain is very heavy. We need rain, but not in daft amounts. Here’s an old prayer for rain… “O GOD, heavenly Father, who by thy Son Jesus Christ hast promised to all them that seek thy kingdom, and the righteousness thereof, all things necessary to their bodily sustenance: Send us, we beseech thee, in this our necessity, such moderate rain and showers, that we may receive the fruits of the earth to our comfort, and to thy honour; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” The Book of Common Prayer has some nice bits like this, although I couldn’t bring myself to join the celebrations for its anniversary that fell a few years ago. There was no mention in those plans of the cost of everything that happened in 1662. My predecessors were unceremoniously chucked out, with no chance of flying bishops or anything like it.
I don’t see much chance of “moderate rain and showers” in our planet’s future. God may do all he can to keep our climate nice, but he’s fighting Big Oil now.