cloud burst

Colorado weather has been out of character. It feels like the sun part of summer hasn't really taken hold.

One feature that's kicking in and that is familiar to natives, though, is the afternoon cloudburst. If you grew up here and remember anything from the 1970s and earlier, heavy and fast-moving rains in the late afternoon were very typical. The droughts that we've seen in more recent decades were all the more insulting because of the memory of those afternoon showers.

Rose really cannot resist a walk in the rain. Here in the high and dry plains, most of us don't own rain boots, and a water-resistant jacket is the closest most of us come to rain gear. However, I was completely reconciled to spending money on actual slickers and boots for Miss Rose. Because unless I FORBID it due to lightning, she'll head right out.

I sure didn't feel like heading out. Our dog was going nuts, I had on no socks, and it was raining so hard that splashback from each drop was violent enough to reach my knees. I stood on the porch while she ventured closer and closer to the gutter.
So I let her go. The rain eased up and finally stopped, and Rex and I were able to come out and supervise. Sometimes we have to go for an 8 block walk. This time, the river was so dramatic that our own quiet intersection was enough. We floated a "boat" back and for a couple of times. She noticed some sediment building up, and we talked again about erosion, drainage and sandbars.

The water was so high, though, that she got some water down in her boots. She couldn't get her boot off, but she was across the street, she needs to be more independent, AND I had slipped into a pair of my husband's giant sneakers- closest shoes, you know. I wasn't coming across to help her.

She sure couldn't get them off standing up. When she sat down, I reminded myself that a: she's already completely soaked in spite of her fancy rain gear and b: she needs to be more independent. Strangely, she wasn't really pulling on her boots though. In fact, it looked a little more like...
Oh. OK, the solution is to simply lift up your leg to drain the boot. Look closely, and you'll see a STREAM of water pouring out of the boot.
I was laughing so hard I thought I was going to drop the camera. Goodness what an independent child.
Ah. That's better.