Daterino Tomatoes in a White Dish Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/canvas10 x 18" 25 x 45cm 525.00

It’s very hot summer here in Italy, punctuated with electrical storms. I like thunder and lightning, and find it more exciting than fireworks. It’s like a celebration (or hissy-fit) of the gods, and it’s always good for getting my attention.
The celestial light display began around one last night, and continued for what seemed like a couple of hours. Through the screen in the window, I can see to brilliant blue-white flashes outside. The storm was never closer than a mile or so away last night, but rumbles shook the window panes in their frames.

Life is a Bowl of Cherries Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/canvas 8x 12 " 20 x 30 cm 425.00

Tunisia, home to Harika, our pup, and where we lived in 2007-8 had the most impressive storms I ever saw. We lived on the beach, and would watch the mounting waves and hear the thunder for a good 6-8 hours at a time. The rain was ferocious, and would flood streets and gutters and it wasn’t unusual for people to be washed away. A storm was how we “rescued” Harika – she was sitting in water under an overturned boat in the sand. We covered ourselves with plastic, and ran onto the beach to check on her. She was seriously unamused to be brought to our house (she’d never been inside a building before) and would have preferred to sit in the driving rain, thunder and lightning. The next morning, she took off like a shot for the beach and the boat.

The Bee Bar (bees drink water from the hole in the base) Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/canvas 18 x 10 " 45 x 25 cm 550.00

The best single storm we ever experienced was at Hemlock Lodge, on Highland Lake, in Connecticut. We went there every summer for eighteen years, to visit my late parents and my sisters. High on the hill, the lake and the surrounding wood were targets for lighting. One night, when we were on our porch with Sal and Kat, lighting struck the lake and filled the air with a brilliant blue glow. It was like a communication from the universe.

Lighting in the Night Laurie Fox Pessemier Acrylic/canvas 8 x 13" 20 x 32cm 375.00

Just above where we live now in Rocca Malatina, the storms are more impressive. Our lightning rod on this house has only be hit once, knocking out power, which was easily restored. The air was much cooler this morning, and my flowers are all nicely watered. Harika no longer prefers to stay out during the storms. I still wait for a message from the universe.