After a series of non-stop rolling thunderstorms yesterday morning there appeared a brief interlude when it seemed the sky had become lighter, so we dressed ourselves rain-protectively and our two little dogs for a brief venture into the ravine, just to get a little exercise for the day. As it happened, we got no further than exiting the garage. For there, to the south, was another gathering series of dark, threatening clouds obviously heading toward us.

Verified by the deep rumble of a thunderclap, then another, and then, even as we stood there hesitantly, the drops began to assemble, until they became a veritable torrent of truly impressive proportions. We stood in the shelter of the garage, looking outward, toward the front gardens as greenery lapped up the nurturing downpour. Mind, that was a lot to ask of the soil, which had already been well drenched by a previous day's rainstorms, not to mention overnight soakings and this morning's generous offerings.

But we have always enjoyed watching heavy rainstorms, as the rain pounds down on pavement or soil, bouncing back up again briefly in splatted displays of immense coverage. And the spectacle of lightning flashes, the rolling drumbeat of rumbling thunder has always represented an additional pleasure for us. The power and magnificence of nature.

As it happened, eventually the rushing rain subsided. And then picked up again even more ferociously as yet another storm hove into position. Then another, leading to a succession of rain abatement, then resumption. Finally, we were able to see the sky turn more silvery in hue in the distance as the thunderclouds moved on, and we thought we'd try our luck in between rain events.

When we entered the ravine we experienced the canopy dripping relentlessly, emulating the rain itself, though it was in temporary abeyance. And when we dipped down into the ravine at the foot of the first long hill, it was to see the creek swollen well beyond its normal capacity, the water almost reaching the bottom of the bridge overpasses, rushing helter-skelter to the great Ottawa River beyond.

Later, in the early afternoon, several beavers were spotted wandering about outside the confines of the ravine. One of them, obviously a youngster, waddled up our neighbour's driveway. We can only hope they found their way back home and their flooded-out home will have been restored to them.