Karen Wils photo A humming bird takes a “rain break” on a tree branch while big drops fall.

ESCANABA — The very best lullaby in the whole world is the pitter-patter of rain on the camp roof.

Soothing, rhythmic and relaxing raindrops sing.

Snug and safe, warm and dry while the woodlands turn wet, is a comfy, cozy feeling. From the dense canopy of sky-high maple leaves to the second layer of bouncy balsam limbs, the moisture makes its way to the ground.

Drink it up!

Ferns unfurl, lichen and mosses swell with joy.

Drink it up! Frogs and toads have a field day. The wood snail takes a long leisurely slide down a rotten old log.

Drink it up! A blue jay bathes in a puddle. The velvet-antlered buck stands like a statue in the meadow, letting the rain rinse his bug bitten hide.

Raindrops on the river deliver oxygen and food for the trout.

Rain is moody and unpredictable stuff. Just ask Karl Bohnak or your favorite meteorologist, they will tell you that summer rain in the U.P. is very temperamental.

Just have a day off and plan an outdoor activity and rain is most likely to show up. Run a farm, plant a garden or manage a forest and watch the dry spells and droughts hit.

Raindrops can be as gentle as kittens. Good old-fashioned all-day rains can pitter-patter like soft paws on the window glass. This is my favorite kind of rain because it soaks the soil thoroughly.

Rain can also roar like a wild cougar cat. Summer storms can be violent.

As a child, I don’t ever recall seeing flash flooding in Upper Michigan. That was a scenario that played out in southern states.

Now as our weather is intensifying, washouts are happening more often.

Thunder, lightning and refreshing rain can be an awesome gift. The nitrogen charges the air and the wild places thrive with vines, leaves, flowers, fungi and trees of many kinds.

Mother Nature sings many lullabies like the rush of the waterfalls, the chirping of crickets, the calling of night hawks and the hooting of the owl. The summertime serenade is a fine thing.

Rain on the camp roof might dampen some hikes or projects, but its music can inspire a different kind of dance. Reading, writing and journaling are a joy while beside a steamy wet camp window.

If it is a warm rain, rubber boots and a big hat and well-worn camp clothes are all that’s needed to go for a wander. Sometimes the rain and fog let you get up closer to wild critters for picture taking. Wildflowers always look better and greener splattered in rain.

So let the raindrops fall a couple of times a week. Get comfortable with your camp pillow and blanket and listen to rain on the roof. Sweet dreams!

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Karen (Rose) Wils is a lifelong north Escanaba resident. Her folksy columns appear weekly in Lifestyles.