“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” Vivian Greene
It’s been raining here the whole week, the ENTIRE WEEK. We are not used to rain every day here in the state of Virginia. Sure, we get lots of thunderstorms and rain showers in August, but not usually chilly rain five days in a row in MAY!
On gloomy rainy days we have a choice: to succumb to raindrop blues or find our rainy day dancing grooves. Why let rain dampen our fun (even if we get a little wet?)
Mississippi River (rainy day Natchez view)
A few years ago my brother and I encountered pouring rain on the last day of a visit to Mississippi. The forecast called for downpours the entire day. We could have stayed put and enjoyed a dry respite (amidst a 3 week driving trip marathon) but we decided to go out adventuring with our umbrellas in hand.
We drove 1 ½ hours to visit the city of Natchez and finish the last 50 miles of the Natchez Trace (on which we had already driven 300+ miles.)
To visit the garden @ St. Mary’s Cathedral in the rain?
We ended up having so much fun in the quaint city of Natchez. Yes, we got a bit wet traipsing in and out of buildings in the rain (and visiting a garden or two.) But we enjoyed a fabulous lunch at Pearl Street Pasta and had great conversations with folks at the cathedral and in the shops. (Not many tourists in town that day!)
Bishop’s Garden (worth getting a little wet!)
Later on we found a cozy coffee shop where we camped out a bit longer than planned when a deluge of rain pounded down around us.
Steampunk Coffee “steaming” up good things in Natchez
We ended up having great conversations with locals there, too. (Nobody was going anywhere for awhile.) I didn’t mind because they had brewed tea…
…in a lovely china cup!
Once the rain let up enough to make a dash to the car, we were off to finish the last 50 miles of the Natchez Trace we had missed.
On a cloudy rainy day everything was so green and beautiful.
Natchez Trace (near Natchez, MS)
The following day as we drove on to the next destination of our trip (Chattanooga, TN) we were so glad we visited Natchez. Maybe it would have been nicer on a sunny day to walk down by the river, but by choosing to put on our rainy day dancing grooves we managed to squeeze in a good bit of fun.
“A wind has blown the rain away and blown the sky away and all the leaves away, and the trees stand.” e.e. cummings
grace, peace & rainy day grooves
Virginia : )
Roses in the Rubble 
So beautiful
Thank you, Carol-Jo. Here’s to having as much fun as possible in the rain!! ☔️😷☔️🤗☔️
Sounds like a wonderful trip! Down here in Southern Virginia we woke up to sunshine after 4 rainy days, then storms & more rain in the afternoon! I hope you’re safe and not flooded.
The sun eventually came out, Michelle. Glad it came out there, too! That road-trip to Mississippi was definitely fun. We started in Charleston, SC (what a charming city + THE FOOD!) then drove on to Franklin, TN where we picked up the Natchez Trace to MS, where we stopped in Corinth, French Camp & Vicksburg, then on to Chattanooga- another fun city! Before heading back thru your part of the state (mts so beautiful!) Lots of miles, but unforgettable!👀🚙 😎🚙👀
Good for you and your brother, making happy memories instead of sitting around complaining about the weather! We can’t always have sunshine — shoot, we in Illinois know that well because it’s been raining MOST of Spring already, ha!
At least one good thing about all the rain here – everything is so green! Hope it’s all green there in Illinois, too, Debbie. That day in Natchez we made lots of good memories- + we enjoyed the coffee & tea we brought back from that coffeehouse for at least a month!☔️ ☕️☔️💦☔️☕️
What a wonderful tribute to “rainy days”!
Rainy days & Mondays don’t have to get down! Lots of love, Cin! ☔️🤗☔️☕️💦
I love rain, same situation here too❤️
Enjoy your dancing in the rain grooves! 🎶💦☔️💦🎶
really lovely post x
Thank you – here’s to finding our rainy day dance grooves. 🎶💦☔️💦🎶
Beautiful! Such lovely photographs🌈
Thank you – it was a fun day, even in the rain! ☔️😎☔️