Lightening in My Eye

Hard to believe it was almost 2 weeks ago, since the thunderbolt is still etched in my optic nerve and that part of my brain which 'sees'...

12:30 A.M. Every single window in the house was open because of the heavy heat and humidity.

When I smelled the rain I awoke and started upstairs to close windows, tip-toeing so as not to awaken the overnighters in the "Guest Room". By the time I finished up there, I could hear them talking quietly and then their window closed.

After closing all of the windows downstairs, that distant rumble was easier to hear, and along came a flash. Then a huge roar of a thunderclap, immediate lightening, and the rain hit! It came down so hard and fast it sounded like hail.

I opened my curtains, crawled into bed and watched the window. The rain and thunder and lightening were right there, right over the river. The opportunity was presenting itself, so I got up, retrieved my camera from its case, and pressed the lens to the window with the shutter open for 4 seconds.

With each second the storm moved on and I managed to photograph only the blinded clouds, with just the trace of a bolt in the brightest image (lower left corner). There was one bolt of lightening which blinded me, a split second after my shutter closed, before I could press the button again. ah, the one that got away...

These photos are all from around 12:45 a.m. tho they're lit up like a dark and stormy day.
Sandra