A couple of days ago, a quick spring shower passed over while I was working in the garden. Finding shelter under a tree, I could almost see the sprouting plants take in the rain. When the sunshine returned, water droplets sparkled on everything – a happy garden for sure! I couldn’t resist taking off my garden boots and socks to walk barefooted around the field. I couldn’t resist walking through the puddles of water just inside the garden, either. The feeling of rainwater on grass and mud took me back to my childhood with a smile. What is it about rainwater that makes it so special?
For one thing, rainwater is naturally soft, which means it’s not corrosive like hard water, which contains a higher level of dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium. In many areas, a water softener is a necessity; rain provides this naturally. For plants, rainwater contains higher concentrations of nitrates - great nutrients for plant health. The rain that falls during a thunderstorm has an even higher mix of nitrates (hint - lightening is involved :-). The nutrient factor helps explain why watering with a hose can keep plants going, but nothing compares to a good soaking rain. Besides, tap water may include chemicals and chlorine that make it safe to drink but is not the greatest mix for plants. Even well water can have concentrations of minerals too high for optimum plant health as well as leached material from copper or lead pipes.
So, in this blog, you have an assignment. Rather than my talking about rain and writing, I’d like you to go outside the next time there’s a gentle rain shower. Walk, run around, get soaked, and just feel the joy of play. Later, think about the many ways that experience can inform your writing (and your creative soul). Rain is a wonderful metaphor to use in poetry and other writing. But go beyond just thinking about it and remember how the rain felt as you experienced the freedom simply to enjoy!
Supporting articles:
I’ve Always Wondered: is rain better than tap water for plants?
Image credit: Ljubomir Trigubishyn