Renewal

After a false alarm in February (when we had a very unusual four nights of rain in a row), the first real Rainy Season rain came down late this afternoon, preceded by ominous clouds.

Renewal! Quiet and steady, the rain washed away the layers of dust accumulated from the Harmattan, quenched the thirst of our stunted watermelon patch which was planted out of season at the insistence of the kids, and gave us a very welcome cool breeze at the end of a particularly sweltering day.

I love this time of year here. Mango trees everywhere laden with plums; rare, sweet, round walnuts for sale on the streets; and the gigantic breadnut tree in my back yard starting to bear its giant fruit all over again. Right now the bright green pods are the size and shape of extra large eggs, each one standing upright and surrounded by leaves as large as tabloid newspapers. Things are growing. I am growing. Monrovia's roads have been repaired. Change and promise are in the air.