Dancing nettles
Posted on July 1, 2007
Filed Under Summer, flora, happiness, nature | Comments Off
Today, I wish I could say I wandered lonely as a cloud but it wouldn’t be appropriate with the overcast day we’ve just experienced in Dublin. This afternoon, as I set out on my bicycle with no destination in mind, I fearlessly left my jacket at home. I knew I was taking a risk of a drenching from the rain but I figured I could ride out any rain shower by sheltering under a tree.
Eventually, after a quick jaunt up the Royal Canal, I ended up in the Phoenix Park. Once there, I thought I’d have a look at Farmleigh House and see what all the fuss was about. However, on the approach road to Farmleigh, the heavens opened and it started to really rain. I took shelter in the trees at the back of the OSI. The ‘shower’ lasted a bit longer than five minutes and I started to worry that I’d be stranded for the evening!
In the end though, it all worked out. The rain started to penetrate the tree cover and drop on a little ‘meadow’ of nettles that were growing under the trees. It was like watching a silent dance. To my bored mind, it was quite rhythmic as individual raindrops dropped on different nettles seemingly every second. I couldn’t see the raindrops as they descended but, second by second, I’d see a different nettle shiver and shake as the raindrop energised it. It was captivating.
Sadly, due to bad light and the absence of a tripod, I couldn’t capture any decent images but I eventually got this photograph of a thornbush that was growing through the nettles.
You must know how I’m going to finish this post?
Every (rain) cloud has a silver lining! (although I didn’t get to see Farmleigh)
