Rain! To fully appreciate it, your state has to have recently suffered the most expensive fire in its history, the Fourmile Canyon fire near Boulder that destroyed 167 homes. You have to have just endured the hottest September 19 in Denver history — 96°. You have to have driven up to Rocky Mountain National Park yesterday and come away depressed by the weary, browning, and dreadfully dry foliage everywhere.

This is neither a painting nor a manipulated photo. It’s a screenshot I grabbed about 20 minutes ago from one of the webcams in the park. That’s beautiful, cool wet rain on the lens, compliments of Mother Nature. I couldn’t have produced a more effective picture.