Then Came Dense Fog and the Thunderstorm

Sunday, I woke up to a dense fog and smoke cover combination.  I think this is probably the densest fog I have ever been in.

Before the sun came up, it was white.  Once it got lighter outside the smoke color showed through.

On the porch, looking toward the swimming pool (North) but unable to see it or the goat barn or the walnut trees.

On the porch, looking toward the barn, only able to see the garden before the parking area.

Outside the window looking at the tree block, barely 30 feet away.

I am not sure how I let Phil talk me into (trying) going to the store...but the fog was supposed to lift by 11:00 and we were scheduled to gather at the Rawie's for church and I needed ingredients to put together something for the potluck.  (We ended up having to cancel our homechurch.)

Our mailbox, we couldn't see any cars, so we had to roll down the windows and listen.  I was already terrified at this point and didn't want to continue.

After having to slam on his brakes multiple times and not able to see the dashed lines in the road beyond 2 dashes, we came across the road blocked off because of an accident and turned around to go home.  I was so relieved.  That was probably the most scared I have been in a car.

We had a little blue sky teaser one afternoon just for a moment, the first one in over a week.

But mostly, it just looked like this,

Then, we had a major thunderstorm (Wednesday night).  The smoke and clouds were too thick to see actual lightning bolts but the sky was lighting up constantly and it was raining a torrential downpour.  It was beautiful and incredibly refreshing as the intense rain beat every bit of soot and ash from the rooftops, the trees, the gardens, and the grass into the ground, and cleaned the air.

We had to go out at 2:30 in the morning once it passed to the North to check on the goats.  Phil had put up a second tarp in anticipation (flash flood warnings had been issued for the canyon in the fire affected areas).  Luckily it held and they were safe and cozy and dry.  There was good inch of standing water in the barnyard where there was no grass to soak up the rain.

It didn't entirely end the smokey haze but it cleaned it up a great deal.

And then, I got to see this!  It was brief, between rainstorms on Friday, and as of now (Saturday morning), we are back to a smokey haze.  But, it was a reminder of clean air to come, of cleansing, of windows thrown open and a breeze blowing the smokey residue out of the house.