Saturday, February 7, 2009

Cloudburst

With all the recent talk about a drought, Southern California welcomes this lovely, drenching rain -- seen here creating an artistic puddle in my driveway. A big swath of Mission Street lost power during the storm.

And in keeping with yesterday's jazzy mood, here's Ella's version of Stormy Weather ...

44 comments:

Yakpate said...

Beautiful shot! I love the way the rings around the splashes create the impression of seeing the raindrops in motion... the monochromatic tones... and those little orange dots, like wayward m&ms, that reflect the circles in the puddle.

Great one, Laurie!

Judy Williams said...

I adore the abstractness of nature. Each acentric circle connects almost like the Olympic rings. Of course this song immediately came to mind:

The raindrops, so many raindrops
It feels like rai-aindrops
Falling from my eye-eyes
Falling from my eyes

Since my love has left me
I'm so all alone
I would bring her back to me
But I don't know where she's go-o-o-ne
I don't know where she's gone

There must be a cloud in my hea-ea-ea-ead
Rain keeps falling from my eye-eyes
Oh no they can't be teardrops
For a man ain't supposed to cry

So it must be rai-aindrops, so many raindrops
It feels like raindrops
Falling from my eye-eyes
Falling from my eyes

Oh, there must be a cloud in my hea-ea-ea-ead
Rain keeps falling from my eye-eyes
Oh no they can't be teardrops
For a man ain't supposed to cry

So it must be rai-aindrops, so many raindrops
It feels like raindrops
Falling from my eye-eyes
Falling from my eyes

It keeps on fallin'

Fallin' from my eyes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVw_bnZ9Y_Q

Judy Williams said...

I adore Ella so much, but the famous Dee Clark popped right into my head first. :~)

Julie ScottsdaleDailyPhoto.com said...

Gorgeous shot. Very interesting to enjoy. I could stare at it for quite sometime. Thanks for stopping by my website to check out the Chihuly glass art. I put a new photo of Chihuly glass up today.

Mister Earl said...

Are those little copper pennies from heaven? Or little flower buds? Is there a difference?

Dee Clark, born Delectus Clark 11/7/38 in Blytheville, Arkansas. Raindrops first hit the Billboard Pop charts on May 1, 1961 and remained there for 16 weeks, hitting number 2 for one week, behind Gary U.S. Bonds' Quarter to Three. Dee Clark passed away on 12/7/90.

Susan C said...

Like Julie, I could just stare and stare until I'm sucked into the puddles.

Virginia said...

Gorgeous and Judy's solo was the perfect accompaniment! So glad you all got some rain!!
V

Anonymous said...

They're like notes! Whole notes. Lovely.

Bergson said...

Your photo of rain is nice but I prefer the sun.

dbdubya said...

The circles remind me of the translucent colored glass that was popular in the 50's and 60's, often used in front doors. From the size of that puddle, it looks like your driveway also serves as a bird bath.

I get tired of hearing "Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head" or "It Never Rains in Califorina" on the radio whenever it rains. Ella's version of "Stormy Weather" is much, much better.

Knoxville Girl said...

rings within rings overlapping rings - rain, music, it's all connected. great job, Laurie

Wayne said...

Good eye LA.

Dixie Jane said...

Silver circles and gold circles like Pennies From Heaven. And one spot has a reflection of the sky. Add some orange dots and you have nature at its best. Puddles are for jumping, getting wet, enjoying nature having a field day while the plants breathe a sigh of relief. Blessed rain, when it is not a flood or causing havoc. Glad you had an artistic display in your driveway.

Cafe Pasadena said...

I prefer, "Rain", from The Beatles.

This is the 2nd day in a row a loco blogger has put up a rain puddle pic. There must be something in the weather.

Anonymous said...

I love this shot! I'm always mesmerized when watching the rain drops on the surface of puddles and the circles expanding outward, then more drops hitting, expanding etc. etc.

Judy Williams said...

Oh, Cafe, thanks for reminding me of that AWESOME Beatles song.

Mr Earl - so glad to know Dee Clark's biography info. Thanks. You are such a treasure trove of knowledge!!

.. there's always "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" by BJ Thomas! Man, there are some terrific rain songs if you think about it.

Fire and Rain - James Taylor
Have You Ever Seen the Rain - CCR
Come Rain or Come Shine - many jazz artists recorded this one
Don't Rain on My Parade - from Funny Girl
Fool in the Rain - Led Zeppelin

And one of my all time favorite jazz standards for your listening pleasure: Nancy Wilson singing "Here's That Rainy Day"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNKEl8zAEdw

Cafe Pasadena said...

Singing in de Rain.

Blogging in de Rain.

Rain, etc., et al.

Laurie Allee said...

JUmping in to say that I love all of these song choices! How about one of the best make out songs of all time...

:-)

(Amazing what a puddle in my driveway can inspire!)

Petrea Burchard said...

I really, really like this one, Laurie!

Mister Earl said...

Here's one of my favorite rain songs:

Rain on the Roof by the Lovin' Spoonful:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwDh-xea40s

Unknown said...
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Petrea Burchard said...

Judy came close to my favorite rain song, which is The Rain Song. (Couldn't find the album track, which I prefer.)

Mister Earl said...

Judy:

"Have You Ever Seen the Rain."

From Wikipedia: Some have speculated that the song's lyrics are referencing the Vietnam War, with the 'rain' being a metaphor for bombs falling from the sky. In his review of the song for Allmusic website, Mark Deming suggests that the song is about the idealism of the 1960s fading in the wake of events such as the Altamont Free Concert and the Kent State shootings and that Fogerty is saying that the same issues of the '60s still existed in the '70s but that people were no longer fighting for them. Fogerty himself, however, has said in interviews and prior to playing the song in concert that the song is about rising tension within CCR and the imminent departure of his brother Tom from the band.

USelaine said...

Candles In the Rain - Melanie

Not jazz, but classic. I live this photograph, and I envy your wealth of water.

Judy Williams said...

Thanks for that information about that CCR song that I just adore, Mr Earl. Rain can indeed be a metaphor for many things falling down and I like the interpretation explained by wikipedia (what would we do without it?).

Laurie - I thought it was "Rain on Me" by the Who, but it's "Love, Reign O'er Me" which is even cooler.

Patrizzi Intergarlictica said...

It's the water. I brought you a present.

Judy Williams said...

Miss Havisham is having a Beer Party. :@)

Mister Earl said...

Also, CCR's "Who'll Stop the Rain" has some political imagery:

I went down Virginia seekin' shelter from the storm
Caught up in the fable I watched the tower grow
Five year plans and new deals wrapped in golden chains.
And I wonder still I wonder who'll stop the rain.

It was written right after CCR played at Woodstock and the next verse talks about that:

Heard the singers playin', how we cheered for more.
The crowd had rushed together tryin' to keep warm.
Still the rain kept pourin', fallin' on my ears
And I wonder, still I wonder who'll stop the rain.

Laurie Allee said...

Petrea, you added my favorite Zeppelin song. I knew we were kindred spirits.

This is so fun, everyone. Maybe it's Miss H's beer present, but I'm feeling nostalgic for my youth...

Laurie Allee said...

Yeah, I'm nostalgic alright!

Judy Williams said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Judy Williams said...

And now for something completely different

Anonymous said...

AND THEN IT HAILED !!!!!
Hail storm over now, sooo...

Okay - I want to speak up for "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head". It was written by, I think, Hal David. Correct me if I'm wrong. So - to continue - He has assembled a VERY important as they say - collection of DRAWINGS. Yes, my thing!! I was at the opening at the Hammer Museum when his collection was exhibited.
Then....can you believe it??? the elevator got stuck with him and his entourage in it. We happened upon the scene. Shanna went into her "calming" mode and Jim ran to get the curator. We could hear Hal cursing the dumb staff. Okay, they were dumb. The curator arrived to say that the Fire Dept. was on its way. She tried to pry open the doors. His entourage was quite large and the elevator quite small. They eventually emerged, trying to cover up their dismay like a cat tucking its tail and putting its nose in the air. The curator and I, later exchanged glances - eyebrows raised. We pretended that nothing had happened. (Like a cat?)

So, anyway he did in fact donate his absolutely fabulous!!!! collection of drawings, not prints, to the Hammer , which owns an impressive, if not the largest collection of works on paper on the U.S.

Hal...where are you? Would you like to see my drawings?

Petrea Burchard said...

Raindrops Keep Fallin' on my Head is by Burt Bacharach, but I still love your Hal David story, Shanna.

Laurie Allee said...

SHanna's right, Petrea. Hal wrote the lyrics -- Bacharach the music. They collaborated a lot.

Laurie Allee said...

I looked it up to be sure of my memory -- and I found out that David and Bacharach both won an Oscar for Raindrops Keep Falling of my Head for Best Song, and also for Best Original Score for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Judy Williams said...

Remember the bicycle scene

Petrea Burchard said...

Ah, merci beaucoup!!

Laurie Allee said...

Thanks for making things so lively and melodic today, everyone! Until tomorrow...

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the research. It was all off the top of my head - where those raindrops keep falling!!!

Jane Hards Photography said...

Have been to the island this week. Welcome to my world. Ever decreasing circles.

Pasadena Adjacent said...

I'm at Pasadena Adjacent

I got caught up in Shanna's story and I found this The Eunice and Hal David collection

Laurie Allee said...

PA, that link is fantastic. Now I want to go see that collection.

Antonia said...

Magnificent photo-graphic! Cheers!