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A charming depiction of children and dog in the rain.
Unknown origin, possibly Mabel Lucy Atwell. |
It is generally true, that old saying 'April showers bring May flowers'. We are having a bit more than just showers though. While there is a hosepipe ban in parts of England and threats of a drought, here in Wiltshire/Berkshire it's been raining for 3 days. Today you really could have said that it was raining cats and dogs. It came down sideways in great sheets and sleet covered the walks. Birds could not fly in it, umbrellas were turned inside out and our greenhouse cover blew across the village green!
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| Raining cats and dogs (and pitchforks!) from a cartoon by Cruickshanks |
There are a lot of funny old sayings in England and "raining cats and dogs" is one of my favourites. Used to describe an especially heavy rain, it is still in common usage today and few who say this question what it really means or where it came from. It's origins are hard to trace. There is evidence that it was used in the 17th century but it may be even older. There are a number of explanations of how it came into usage, none of which make sense or can be confirmed.
The most widely circulated is that in the 16th-century many homes had thatched roofs and animals could crawl into the thatch and find shelter from the elements, and then fall out during heavy rain. Hard to see a dog clambering up there though.
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One of my favourite local thatched cottages, actually a terrace of three
which were once a toll cottage |
I think it is far more likely just one of those deightful colloquialisms which caught on, got written down somewhere and made it's way into the magical folklore of language.
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| The sleet in our garden this morning |
I like rain, perhaps not this hard or windy, but I love the way it makes all things fresh again. And while it is raining it is a good excuse to get on with tasks in the house, so I leave you with this small collection of rain art and items. Beautiful I think and sadly not mine.
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I think the movement in this is wonderful.
By Giuseppe Armani, at the Florence Sculpture d’Arte |
Whoo (pun!) could resist this owl umbrella stand?
It's on Amazon for $140.00
The artists's name is not legible on this, it is such a pretty print.
