Wonderful rain, now sun, ousting ‘The Januarys’

BY Dawn Rankins

Happy Friday Canyon Lake. I do hope this column finds you well and happy. We are officially into 2023 and so far, it’s been a crazy, wet winter. We’ve had rain for 11 days thus far and boy, does our lake show it.

The lake is filled to the brim with water. Beaches flooded as well as the causeway near the fire station. So much flooding has made it a little more difficult to navigate around the lake like we’ve become accustomed to.

Getting out and about takes a little more effort with such inclement weather. We can’t just jump on our golf cart and cruise around the lake to meet up with friends. Our lives have been altered a bit due to the rain, and that’s OK.

With running shoes on as we exited 2022 and entered 2023, I was ready to tackle the year and launch into it with a bang. My kidneys had other plans for me. Instead of getting a jump on the new year, I got to enjoy the lake and rain from the comfort of my bed overlooking Indian Beach.

I was out walking my pup this week in the rain and I ran into my amazing neighbor Robb Smith.

“I don’t think I’ve seen this much rain all at once since moving to California,” Robb said.

“I was in Murrieta the other day and my phone weather app showed no rain, yet it was pouring,” Sally Pettit said. “Today, I’m getting my walk in before the rain hits again, if it hits.”

I love the rain, plain and simple. I usually light my fireplace and turn on some upbeat music and get my much-needed chores done around the house. This year, though, I got the Januarys, my new term for feeling blah.

Instead of greeting 2023 by the horns, I was unable to work. Bed rest isn’t very friendly to reporters, mainly because we can’t get out and cover the news. I am thankful though for those who have sent their stories and event photos to me. Without you guys, the paper would have been lacking, to say the least.

I am super excited to be up and around, finally. The best part is, I get to be out and about in our amazing community among my fellow Canyon Lakers. I even get to stop by the Guild’s concert tomorrow night at the Lodge.

I love rain. Being near and around water feeds my soul and I actually have enjoyed the rain. I’m excited to venture out past my street and see just how much water we have in our lake at some of the various beaches. While rain is very much needed, I’m sure some of you haven’t had the best experiences with it this year.

I think coming down with the Januarys has taught me, if not many of you, too, that it’s important to embrace our body’s need to just be calm and relax.

It’s been said that if we feel tired, take a nap. It’s the body’s way of reminding us that we need to rejuvenate. Who knows, maybe coming down with the Januarys is the universe’s way of teaching us to embrace the blahs. Maybe we are learning that it’s OK to hunker down in our homes by a warm fire, or cuddled up with a blanket and simply enjoy the peace of the rain.

The Januarys might be teaching us to breathe and take care of ourselves, especially after coming off an extremely busy December with all that month’s events and festivities.

The universe has a funny way of teaching us lessons. I suppose we just need to be open to learning them.

The next few days are promising to bring us brighter weather, at least that’s what the weather app says. But, if the weather changes its mind and decides to bring us more water from the sky, I know I’ll show it gratitude and accept that we truly do need the rain. This time I’ll finish another book, quilt, write and do my best to come out and check on what all the clubs are up to.

You can always email me directly about story ideas and you can give me your thoughts on this Canyon Lake Life column. I’m ready to improve and bring you the best articles I can. My email address is dawn@goldingpublications.com and I look forward to hearing from you.

Well Canyon Lakers, whether you met the new year with the blahs, or Januarys as I am now calling it, or you’re off to an amazing start tackling your resolutions, I hope each and every one of you have the greatest of weekends and week ahead.