To Rain or Not To Rain…and what constitutes “rain” anyhow?

So, I have been a bit remiss in my monsoon wait coverage. Here is Monday’s update on the cloud track:

We spent Monday with almost NO clouds in the sky:

It was seriously depressing, and I didn’t want to blog about it. There were a few bumpers to the northeast, over the lovely Granite Mountain–

but nada where we were or off to the east (from whence we get our rain usually). And the humidity sunk below 20%, another magic number in monsoon prediction (thanks, Omega Mom, for reminding me!)–it was 18% on Monday. Then, I walked out on the front porch just before dinner and sundown, at about 7:30 PM and saw this:

I couldn’t believe it! Thunderclouds and high clouds moving in. We had a wonderfully subtle, conch-shell-pink sunset, courtesy of the late-forming clouds:

Yesterday, Tuesday, we woke up to haze and high clouds. We didn’t bother to do our usual Tuesday wading-pool time because there really wasn’t sunshine making us feel like it was a pool-worthy day…humidity was at 20% again! Good signs.

We went about our indoor day. Long after The Bee had gone to bed, when I was trying to take in some mindless TV, I heard R. shouting from the front door…it was a quarter to midnight, and IT WAS RAINING. Well, I’m not sure really if it was raining raining, but there were some drops falling from the sky:

I saw maybe thirty drops total? Does that count? R. and I went out and stood in the driveway. It promptly slowed to a stop. You could only see any wet on the rocks. But, on the other hand, this is more moisture than we’ve had at the ranch since January 31st. So, I think Maia guessed the 10th, and–with 15 minutes to spare in my time zone–it DID “rain” on the 10th. Sort of.

I guess I was hoping the monsoon would start with a deluge, so there would be no gray areas. But there WAS that incredible monsoon SMELL. It’s so sharp and pungent, acrid even, like your tongue’s resting on metal. It is NOT that earthy wet smell you sometimes get in the eastern woods, that peaty smell. Nope. It’s tinny, and not heavy, but rather disappears on your tongue and in your nose with a pull–you know how a really dry wine does? Except not wine. It’s more like if you stuffed your mouth full of granite and mica.

I’ll be sending Maia a prize for marking the rain that came on the 10th!!! But I’m also still holding the betting open (with another prize) for the No-Holds-Barred Pour.

And so I’m still waiting on the deluge. Here’s this morning’s offering from the sky:

Certainly looks hopeful.

In other news, I would not recommend keeping these two cans next to each other on your kitchen counter like I’ve been doing:

I had the unfortunate experience of dumping several heaping spoonfuls of Enfamil in my coffee this morning. Oh, will the joys of motherhood never cease.