Magical Rain in the Park

I'm so sad that this post has no pictures.  I went to the gym on 76th this morning, walking up through a drizzle and doing Pilates after a brief accidental foray into an inappropriate locker room.  The signs there are ~really~ confusing!  Oh well, no harm done......

I walked back through the park, and the drizzle had slightly increased to more of a light rain.  I was fine inside my rain jacket with my cap on and my hood up, and after entering the park I went over towards the lake to take a look.  As I approached the edge of the bridge, 2 black crowned night herons flew off!  They were just beautiful.  I watched them circle the lake and they landed somewhere outside of my view.

Feeling elated I walked down along the edge of the lake, it was just gorgeous in this particular combination of water and light.  And the park was nearly empty!  There was a wedding at the ladies pavilion.  It was to me the perfect day for it - just enough rain to keep the crowds away, not enough to actually harm much of anything.  And there's something poetic about the stuff of life gently falling all around you, bathing you as you start your life together.

Anyway, I stopped and sat for a little while at the covered bench / not quite gazebo thing and watched barn swallows dancing above the water.  I was mostly alone, and they swerved quite close to me several times, it was wonderful!  And a Baltimore oriole was zooming back and forth and sometimes posing nearby for me.  A brilliant streak across a backlit slate-grey sky...... Gorgeous!

It felt like a magical time, and I was sad to not have my binocs and camera with me.  I wish I could have gotten a few images to remember those moments.  Hopefully these words will do.