A walk in the rain

Typically, on the first day of the school holidays, the very long, dry, hot spell we've been having broke dramatically. We had drizzle interspersed with very sharp bursts of torrential rain and it was much the same across most of the UK. It was still warm and much more humid, of course, so after my walk I felt very sticky. Whilst it's a shame for all the children who want to play out, the rain is much needed. Our soil, lawns and plants are parched and the reservoirs almost empty. It felt like quite a novelty to have a walk in the damp, really refreshing. Whether the wet weather will continue, who knows? It did rain a little on St Swithun's Day, 15 July, which is supposed to herald forty days of rain but in all my years I've never noticed that old saying to be particularly true. 

St Swithun's day if thou dost rain

For forty days it will remain
St Swithun's day if thou be fair
For forty days 'twill rain nae mare