Night rain

It's the time of year when the days are clear and warm while the nights are gradually sliding towards winter. In the middle of the night clouds blow across the river plains and hills from the ocean and drop a little night rain. It's rarely loud. Sometimes just a patter across the roof, sometimes silent and the only hint is the slowly dripping foliage and wet ground in the morning.

BTR (Before the renovations), we never heard this light benison of moisture. Our bedroom was right in the middle of the house with doors and windows opening only onto covered verandah. When storms were loud, the whole family would pile onto the high bed and we would feel as if we were held tightly and comfortingly in the arms of the house.

Our new bedroom perches above the valley. We hear the wind and rain moving uphill towards us. Sometimes the floor shakes a little in the wind or you hear a strut groaning. One set of windows faces east and we can forecast the weather from their sighs and creaks. Two of the downpipes vital to our collection of water run outside the bedroom. If I don't hear the rain, I do hear the sound of water collecting, dropping and gurgling. It comforts in its own way.