A Drippy Umbrella Day at Penn State

This was the first week in a long time - maybe ever - that I've ridden the bus every single day to work. We had frigid temperatures on Monday and Tuesday morning. Wednesday there was icy precipitation during several parts of the day.

And Thursday we awoke to rain and mist, with rapidly falling temperatures. Looking at the weather map and the predicted plummeting arc in the temperature, I decided Thursday would also be a bus day too. So this week, I'm four for four!

Sadly, none of these mornings featured enough time for breakfast out (an occasional downtown treat for me when I ride the bus), but I'll hope to remedy that the next chance I get. My bus from home was nearly a half-hour late picking me up on this day. I don't know why; the driver didn't say.

Weirdly enough, shortly after noon, all of the local schools closed and even Penn State shut down at 1 pm. They sent us home before the roads could freeze solid with black ice. The next bus home for me wouldn't be till 4 pm, but a kind friend offered me a ride; it was very nice of her to go out of her way, or I'd have been stuck on campus and in town for a while. (I would have filled that time taking pictures, of course, but still . . . . )

So anyway, Thursday morning put me on campus with my umbrella during the rain and the mist. Conditions were ethereal. I know there are many who do not enjoy it out when it is wet, but it is so beautiful here when it is like this. Every season has its special delights.

Things look all slick and shiny, and the mist makes everything look kind of neat. The icy surfaces with water running on top of them, well, I can't say I like THAT so much at all. It can be very easy to fall, so if you want to go out for pictures in such weather, please watch your step, carry a big umbrella, and KEEP THE CAMERA DRY!

Above is one of the photos I took on Thursday morning, before the big temperature drop and before the work cancellation. This part of campus below the libraries, with all of those marvelous lamp posts, is a favorite photo destination. They remind me of the Rockettes, standing in an orderly manner, side by side. If it were a Disney movie, they would probably break into dancing (a la Lumiere)!

I have also placed a second photo in the extras - of the area around Old Main. I found what I think of as a sweet spot: just stand in this very place, and you can get this shot in every season. It's neat. Old Main to the left. The stone obelisk to the right. The photo features several colorful umbrellas as well; don't they look like pretty flowers in the rain. . . .

A soundtrack song? Barbra sings about a soft summer rain, and the rain on this day was not exactly like that. But I love this tune so here it is. If you're a Barbra fan, you'll enjoy this: Barbra Streisand, with Kiss Me in the Rain.