Soggy days ahead. Potentially plenty. So much for “April showers bring May flowers.” April showers bring May showers. Bring retrospective ruminations. Today’s photo essay collects snapshots taken by Susan in May 2, 2017. Eight years ago yesterday. We’d just returned to Rosslyn after an adventure abroad. A happy homecoming vibe emanates from these images despite the still rain drenched scenes.
Much like the days ahead, the moody May day tells the story of rain on top of rain. You can imagine the spongy squelch-squelch of the lawn when walked upon. 
The sheen of rainwater glistens on every surface, even vertical surfaces — stone walls, brick walls, window panes — offering visual testimony to the force of the most recent cloudburst.
End-of-day light, made meager by thick layers of cloud cover, nevertheless finds chinks enough to illuminate Rosslyn’s buildings dramatically. Welcome home.
Foliage has only just barely begun to create canopies where leafless trunks and limbs have been. Early blooms — hyacinth, iris, daffodils, and tulips — have emerged to celebrate the rain.
Rosslyn’s front fence catches the limited light and appears to glow. The setting sun plays similar tricks on the carriage barn and icehouse. 
The ominous clouds are undeniably foreboding, but these timeless buildings offer comfort and sanctuary. Homecoming. Safe harbor.
The grass is impossibly green in these photographs as it is again now. Sod revitalized by rain and warming days after months of dormancy.
While tempting to conclude with the evocative images above, I’ll instead offer some balance by including a glimpse of the evergreen hedge growing in the north side of Rosslyn’s front lawn.
In the middle, a gaping hole is evident where a toppling tree destroyed multiple arborvitae. Homecoming inevitably includes a few surprises. Some are welcome. Others are more unfortunate. 
What do you think?