It’s after a rainfall, and the forest has that familiar fresh scent to it – petrichor, the smell of rain. Pronounced petri-KOR, this word describes the purifying smell of rain. It seems fitting, a clean, sharp word for a clean, sharp aroma.
A pluviophile is a person who feels comforted and cozy by rain and clouds. I am one of those people. When the sky is obscured by soft gray clouds, I always feel safe and comfortable, and the sound of rain tapping on a roof especially makes me feel snug. Winter is usually a season I look forward to – certain areas of British Columbia are famous for their gray, gray winters, and usually infamous for it. But, being a pluviophile, I love the time spent inside with the gray skies above me. It is true that humans need sunlight, however, and after a long period of clouds the sun does feel nice.
I’ve collected some photos that celebrate petrichor and rain, and they remind me of the tap-tap-tap of rain on the roof and the consoling feeling it brings to me.
A mushroom cap capturing a raindrop. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021A spiderweb laden with jewel-like raindrops. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021Leaves often manage to hold drops of moisture in their creases and folds. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021A lupine leaf spotlit with sunlight.Lupine leaves often hold moisture in their creased leaves. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021A three-spot mariposa lily. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021Moss, lichen, plants, and liverworts all coexisting in a “room” of green. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021Raindrops on a leaf. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021Raindrops and bits of debris. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021Many leaves are evolved to capture rain and hold it in their leaves. Saxifrage (not shown above) has waxy leaves that effectively hold moisture for a prolonged period, since it lives in drier areas. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021Rain can be a blessing or a curse – it depends which way you look at it. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021
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