We had thunder, lightning, sheets of rain and a barrage of 2 inch hail for about 20 minutes yesterday. (Sage was petrified, but Reilly was only mildly nervous.) It sounded like 75 carpenters were hammering frantically on the house. The hailstones were bigger than any I’ve seen- this just doesn’t happen here- and while some were globes many looked like flowers- like a chrysanthemum, or fancy butter you get at restaurants, only much, much harder. I found out afterward that just down the hill there was no hail, only a little rain. Might even say it was wicked local.
During the storm, Sage hid under my desk (actually he was hiding under there WELL before the storm began). I was working and Rei was behind me, standing. Jeff advised me to turn off my machine, and I did and went to the kitchen to watch the hail as it was now getting really big and pounding like machine guns on the deck and siding. Thunder smashed and rolled, when I felt Sage at my right side. He had come out of hiding in his safe space to find me. He whined and he firmly SAT right next to me on the right (that’s the side of me he walks on and is our command By Me) glued to my leg. Rei was standing in the studio doorway, looking at me with her head tilted. I stroked Sage’s neck and said “Ok, let’s go back to the study!” And Rei and Sage and I went in there. Sage huddled under the desk and I went under to block him in safely. I turned around and petted him, he sighed, I covered him and put my arms around his head, he rested his chin on my arm. I talked softly to him. Rei lay down near us.
When the storm was over, we went outside and checked damage, collected hailstones. We could smell so strongly the torn trees, a leafy smell like making pesto. We could hear the kids on Stratton Road calling out as they collected hailstones. Reilly came right outside, and then Sage came out. Both dogs were happy when my Mom showed up. (once again Seiji greeted, but did not jump on, Mom) We all went outside and oohed and aahhed, and Sage smelled the hailstones licked his lips and then dropped his shoulder and rolled on them like he does when he finds a smell he wants to carry. It was like he earned his hailstorm badge and was pinning its scent on his mane.
Thus with tension relived, he wanted to play and grabbed a sprig of maple leaves (lots of sprigs and sprays fallen) bucked like a horse with it in the tips of his teeth, trotted around proudly, then shaking it hard- a hailstorm dance? Take THAT, hail!- Seiji MADE it…
