Caught in a downpour

When we left the house for our evening hike in the forest, the sun was shining and it hadn't rained in a few hours. As soon as we got on the forest road a couple miles above the house, it started sprinkling. A few minutes later, it was a downpour.
I went several feet up a gully trail and found a big tree to stand under, using it as a huge, natural umbrella. The girls - not fans of rain, ever - patiently sat under the tree with me. Waiting. Ten minutes later, the rain stopped, the clouds parted and the sun reappeared. I've learned that it's worth waiting out most of these storms, so long as there's no thunder or lightning. They move through quickly.
We headed up the gully. It now was a mess of slick, gloppy mud, with a rivulet of water running down. Maia found this small cluster of bright purplish-blue flowers in an open spot.
A little later, hillsides full of sunflowers. They're awe-inspiring in their vibrance and beauty.
The sun is once again casting shadows. The girls return to sniffing and exploring.
More sunflowers. More vistas. I breathe deep and remind myself that this is why I remain in Idaho. This is my back yard, and I take advantage of it daily.
Close-up of sunflowers (arrowleaf balsomroot).
A parting gift to me from Mother Nature. The ethereal sphere with rainbow inside is a spot of rain on the camera lens. It had just started sprinkling again as we finished our hike. I couldn't resist taking this photo, into the sun, of the sunflowers in the foreground, storm clouds in the background.

What a great way to spend a Sunday evening, with my girls, in the forest, dodging storms and taking photos.