A Charming Rain

Elsa and I are beginning a second time through the 40 hours of listening to Abigail Adams: Letters, edited by Edith Gelles. 

I am encouraged each time she quotes scripture (usually the Psalms) when writing to her husband, John Adams. Life was far from easy while he was away from home for months on end working with the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, she and the children were so near Bunker Hill that they couldn't eat or sleep through the roaring of cannons, and their hospitable natures were stretched by the many refugees from Boston.

Abigail's rich vocabulary, wide literary knowledge and humor come through in the old-fashioned English - regularly bringing us smiles. One adjective which did so was used as she reported on the favorable growing conditions for their crops: "charming."

"...having lately had a charming rain which was much wanted..." ~ Abigail Adams

After a dry summer, the likes of which we have not seen for about 30 years (when they were common in my childhood), we are grateful for "charming" and "much wanted" autumn rains to give a head start for next year. Thankfully they have not been setting the harvest far behind. I heard the 'humm' of tractors all day yesterday as well as through the night. And today's drizzle may not have stopped them yet.