Conjuring a Thunderstorm

Love is likely not a strong enough word--but it is the only one I have. I love thunderstorms. I don't love the destruction or pain they can cause, but Mother Nature has always been good pointing out how little control we have. While driving home from my mom's house today after weeks of stifling heat, the glorious rain hit.
The smell of the storm just before it hits--that cool, crisp, green, CLEAN, smell--instantly transports me back to my little rocking chair on the battleship gray porch of my childhood home.
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Rocking on the porch with my mom and dad (each in their own rocking chairs), my brothers sitting with us or horsing around inside. Inside where every lick of electricity has been turned off except for the the fans, providing a constant whirring in the background of my memories. Hearing the creak of the screen door as the boys were inevitably called outside to join us after one too many crashes inside. Sitting on the porch watching and waiting for the lightening strikes after a long morning in the garden. Counting from the flash to the sometimes deafening crash of thunder, learning how to tell if the storm was a mile away or two. Catching water in my plastic watering can from the water pouring out of the end of the gutter so that I could water the plants on the porch while we waited. There was often lemonade or tea. Sometimes, there were cookies. No matter what, I always found it a little thrilling to sit that close to nature, to see her at work. Watching to see how far the wind would blow the rain up on the porch--hopeful that I would get to feel the splatters on my bare feet, fearful I'd have to move my chair further back to keep from getting too wet.
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Unfortunately, these memories may have ill prepared for an adulthood that seems to perpetually tell me that I should be more afraid than I am. That lack of fear has left me hoping for the rain that finally hit today. Summers need those pop-up thunderstorms to be complete. Jesse also needed a night off from his evening chore of watering the yarden. The plants have been doing beautifully. I finally took a walk in  yard to check on the progress of the plants. We have dozens of little tomatoes promising salsa. The green beans are covered in little minature beans that will be ready in week or so. Woo-hoo! My beautiful squash plants have 3 or 4  two inch long squash babies that will grow up to be a casserole. The watermelon vines continue to grow longer and longer, while the cantaloupe already has two blooms.  Jesse's habeneros are filled with lots of little, wrinkly green peppers that hint at turning orange. The bell peppers have little bouquets of  flowers. The strawberries have been turning redder by the day and would likely taste wonderfully, if we could just get to them before the squirrels. The swiss chard is vibrant and lovely just waiting for Jesse to pick it and make a frittata. Mmmm...frittata...