Hail

3 May 2008: Last night was my first New Zealand hail storm.

My first was as a kid in the hills of Los Angeles. My sisters and I ran outside to catch the frozen beads in our soup bowls. As I recall, it was less like hail and more like stinging rain. My second hail was at home again. This time I was a big kid - and danced in it - eyes closed, mouth open.

Yesterday's hail smeared across the city streets right in the middle of my 10 km bike ride home. It was thrilling! I arrived home with numb fingers, but still floating on the rush.

image from: jackie