All's clear

 

There hasn't been a severe thunderstorm warning in Seattle since 1999. The news outlets went crazy and had some people so scared they took their cars downtown to covered parking garages. Expensive and inconvenient! 

I watched our neighbor trying to cover his fancy Rivian with patio furniture cushions, which freaked me out a bit.

Anyway, all this frantic activity seemed overkill for such a slight chance of big hail. My only preparation was cutting a bunch of hyacinths in peak bloom so the dear things wouldn't get beaten to the ground.  I'm glad, because I'm laying on the sofa right now smelling their heavenly aroma.

Anyway, no hail in Seattle, but it was an impressive thunder and lightening storm by any standard. Speaking of aroma, I stood on the porch right before it rolled in with that peculiar ozone smell that took me right back to childhood in Colorado and Pennsylvania, where violent thunderstorms are common.

We might complain about the monotony of grey skies and rain, but our mild coastal climate is a blessing.