Rain on the Roof

Herb and I were out in the future chicken brooder with a measuring tape figuring out exactly how to make it snake-proof, when the wind blew a few acorns onto the roof along with a smattering of raindrops.  "We just might get some rain out of this," he said.

Famous last words!  With flashing lightning and cracks of thunder, the storm rolled in.  The raindrops attacked the metal roof with such vengeance that they sounded like hail.  Hero was with us, and he vacillated between barking at the evil thunder and pressing up against Herb's leg for safety.  There was no way we were going to make a run for the house through that downpour, so we just waited out the storm.  It was breath-taking as the distant tree-line was almost completely obscured, flashes of lightning lit up the sky, and the cannon shots of thunder made me jump more than once.  Poor Victoria was huddling on a rock under a bush about 10 feet from the shed, but refused to join us when I called her.  I'm not sure if we were scarier than the storm or if she was just afraid to leave her shelter, such as it was.  I wondered if standing on the rock was some instinctual attempt to be grounded or to avoid being swept away in the run-off.  (I'm not usually out in downpours to observe what the chickens do!)

When things finally calmed down enough for us to dash for the house, Herb turned around and went back with an umbrella and boots (squishing delightfully!) to turn off the hose on the garden.

Meanwhile, I grabbed my camera (which I regretted not having with me in the shed but had no intentions of going back to the house for!) to snap Zephyr chasing the thunder.  It's blurry because she moves at nearly the speed of lightning, barking wildly as she goes.  It could be annoying, but I figure at least she's brave enough to chase the enemy instead of cowering away from it.  Zephyr's life motto seems to be:  "If it makes noise, it's my enemy, and I make more noise to vanquish it!"