Lightning bolts -- Mon., May 14

Cotulla, Texas:

I'm impressed. Sitting here in the dining room of the 5er at midnight watching lightning storms, listening to the rain pattering on the roof.

Our window faces west and that's where the storm is. It's following the Rio Grande east and south. We are on the eastern edge of the storm so I'm getting a fantastic lightning show. I unplugged all our computers just in case, but I don't think the storm is that close. According to my highly untechnical methods, the closest the storm has come is within two miles.

The caliche dust is now gloppy mud. I've only had three people check in since the rain started, but it was when there were just the beginnings of big drops so I didn't get very wet.

We had a busy, busy day; on page 8 of our log sheet. The drivers are very polite and stop for us; however a few aren't very fond of signing in and out.

Oh, wow, the whole sky lit up with lightning, and the thunder is rolling, rolling, rolling. Sounds like the storm is about a mile away now. I love lightning storms!! They're so dramatic.

Once the rain started all the flying bugs near our arc lights disappeared.

Another consequence of the rain is how green the trees are getting. (That's in addition to how it keeps the dust down.)

Well that was different--the lightning just created a strobe-light effect--the whole sky was flashing. AND the thunder was practically at the same time. Must be about 1/2 mile away now. Woo hoo.