Sometimes I almost don't want to write about little happenings around this quiet valley I live in, for the simple fact that I'm sure someone out there is saying "Get outta here... either you live in Wonderland, or you are making this stuff up."

It is true that I live in a sort of Wonderland (at least to me..), but I certainly would never have a reason to make anything up. The things that happen around here are simply quite magical, because I choose to see it that way.

For instance - on Sunday, it was another stormy day. The past week's weather has been record breaking. When you live in a place that gets 300+ sunny days a year, having a solid six days of rain AND thunder storms is quite an event.

My friend Beth came up to see me, and to watch the storm since our house is located in a perfect spot to see a panoramic view of the valley. We had been talking for a couple of hours, when I glanced out the window and nearly jumped right off the couch.

There was a rainbow. But not just any rainbow. This thing was gigantic, blazing full of color, and literally stretching as postcard-perfect as I've ever seen... from one mountain, up over the town, and to a mountain on the other side.

I called up to hubby to grab his camera, and we all ran outside to gawk at the spectacle.

The sun was filtering through the clouds as it was descending for sunset. It was causing that golden 'magic light', and beaming it straight past the gloomy grey, to the hills and mountains east of us. Just behind those mountains were more angry clouds, creating a backdrop of gunmetal black. Between the two, was a downpour of rain... which caused a sheer golden curtain to fall against the lit up mountains, and that is where the rainbow was born.

Our neighbor came out with her camera. She had lived here for decades and said she never saw anything quite so amazing. We watched, and watched... minutes went by. You could see a second rainbow, faint above the first. Ten minutes went by, and it was still there. We walked up onto the porch steps and sat there. I braided Beth's hair. We were all just laughing and talking, and soaking in the beauty of this everlasting rainbow.

Finally, twenty minutes after we had noticed it, it began to fade - but only because the sun was setting! The clouds were turning pink, brightening as the rainbow slowly disappeared.

Hubby took two full rolls of film, capturing the moment. I kicked myself for not having my digital camera's batteries charged... so you will have to wait for the film to get developed to see the awesome sight.

Yesterday, as he and I went to get a drink at the store... I smiled and pointed at the local newspaper's front page. A picture of kids reaching up for the rainbow.

If that's not Wonderland... I don't know what is.