Rainworks In Seattle

If you surveyed a group of people and asked what comes to mind when you think of Seattle, I'm pretty sure 9 out of 10 of them would say rain.  We're sort of known for damp, gray skies.

I was surprised when my smarty pants son informed me that Seattle actually ranks 44th on the list of rainiest US cities, with 38" of annual rainfall.  (Even more surprising was #1 - Mobile, AL - with almost double our amount at 67".)

I think what makes it seem like it rains in Seattle all the time - is the fact that it rains in Seattle all the time.  Those 38" fall over 154 days, which means there's a lot of what I like to call "drizzle". No big downpours for a few hours with sunshine at the end.  Just days upon days of misty, wet drizzle, especially from October to May.  

Honestly, it can get kind of depressing sometimes.  

Unless you're Peregrine Church, the founder and mastermind behind the Rainworks project. (As an aside, how cool is his name?  I think he was destined for great things.) "I've always been interested in novel ways to make the world a more interesting place," says Church.

Rainworks are positive messages, artwork and oftentimes funny sayings that appear on the ground throughout the city of Seattle - but only when it rains. Church got the idea when he saw an ad for a water repelling spray.  "It's going to rain anyway.  Why not do something fun with it?"

What started out as a fun experiment is now turning into a business for Church, who has several commissioned pieces in the works.  His website has a map that shows where all of the current Rainworks are located.  I can't wait to go check them out.

If you have a few minutes, watch this video.  It's guaranteed to brighten up your day.  Even if it's raining!