All Day Rain

It's been raining most of the day. And rain in the forecast for the entire day tomorrow. The last time I remember it raining so much, Natalie and I were in a canoe and tent in the boundary waters in Minnesota with our friends Mark and Amanda. There's something about all day rains that force a wide range of emotions. At times it's soothing, sometimes dreary, sometimes depressing, sometimes relaxing. And you may go through all of these emotions in 1 day. I go through many of these same emotions while camping. Sometimes it's just so nice to lay in the tent and listen to the rain and watch it come down. Sometimes, like when it's time to make a meal, you just want to curse the rain and make it stop. Sometimes when you have 5 layers and a rain coat on and you're still chilled to the bone, it feels super depressing. When it's time to go to bed, usually when it starts getting dark, I am filled with excitement and dread at the same time. Exciting to get in my bag and feel the warmth and listen to the rain hit the tent. Dread that I may have to get up to pee at some point... try to not drink to much water. The night in the boundary waters, Natalie used a hot water trick that Mark and Amanda taught us. Fill water bottles with hot water and store in your sleeping bag to help keep warm. I know for a fact that after several cold rainy days in the boundary waters, when the sun finally came out for a couple hours one evening, it was like a little slice of heaven. Made it all worth it. Even with all the rain we had on that trip, it's still such an amazing place, and hard to wish you were anywhere else. Funny how even with the comfort of a nice warm home, or top of the line outdoor clothing, a little rainy day can evoke such strong emotions.