Being in California and near the coast, rain is expected at certain times of the year. January through April are definitely months to expect rain. Sometimes May will provide some rain, too, but by June, it is usually hot and stays hot until October or so, regularly in the 90s or over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Rain is rare, though, but not unheard of. The last few days have been cloudy with some sprinkles and one day of good rain. It has been a nice break from the heat we've been having and it does a nice job of cleaning the air up.

I know that the weather in California will be different than elsewhere but I love it here when there are a few days in the middle of winter and it is warm enough to go to the beach. That early cold spell in October is a refreshing change from the lingering heat of summer and gets me in the mood for fall, my favorite season. Of course, it was strange being in L.A. the week before Christmas with 80 degree weather at the beach. And anytime I'm in San Francisco I'm prepared to be chilly, no matter the season.

Sometimes I wish we had more changes in the weather and seasons. Usually I'm pretty thankful for what we have and know it could be worse.

Fer"puddle-jumping"rick