223/365: "I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder." ~ Gilbert K. Chesterton

4 more pictures in notes above! :)

This morning I went out to water the garden and was surprised to discover that it had rained last night! It is the second night in a row that we've gotten rain, and I am so very thankful. Southern Oregon, where I live, has been experiencing horrible lightning storms, and on August 10, more than 14,000 lightning strikes were reported in 24 hours!!!! Southern Oregon is currently the hot-spot in the United States for wildfires. There are 4 wildfire complexes (groupings of fires in the same area) that are burning over 73,327 acres or 114.57 square miles. The smoke can be seen from space, but thankfully the rain we've had in the past couple of days has really helped a lot.

Two nights ago I was woken to the sound of rumbling thunder. Sitting up, I looked out our window and watched as I saw lightning flashing in the distance and after a bit, the thunder would rumble through the house. Then, as I was looking out, a lightning bolt hit the ground within 1/10th of a mile from our house and I was looking RIGHT at it when it struck! The flash blinded me and I had residual blindness (black outline of lightning flash) for 10 minutes! Incredible...it hit, the world was as bright as the sun, and immediately the house shook like an earthquake and the sound of CRACK-CRACKLE-BOOOOOOOM-BOOM-BOOM!!!! filled my world! And then, the sky opened up and a torrent of rain like I haven't seen for months POURED for the next 10 minutes, drenching everything, the smell of warm earth and wet, dead grass drifting through the air. An amazing experience. I was so afraid that there would be a wildfire starting nearby, but I am so thankful that heavy rain accompanied every lightning strike. Last night there was no lightning nearby, but it rained and I'm so happy because it will help lower the threat of wildfires!

Gilbert Keith Chesterton (29 May 1874 – 14 June 1936), better known as G.K. Chesterton, was an English writer. He wrote on philosophy, ontology, poetry, plays, journalism, public lectures and debates, literary and art criticism, biography, Christian apologetics, and fiction, including fantasy and detective fiction. Chesterton is often referred to as the "prince of paradox." Time magazine, in a review of a biography of Chesterton, observed of his writing style: "Whenever possible Chesterton made his points with popular sayings, proverbs, allegories—first carefully turning them inside out." Wikipedia: Gilbert K. Chesterton

Explored on August 12, 2013. Highest placement, page 4.