Just reading that takes me back to my childhood in Southern Oregon, where raindrops would splat on hot pavement and make splotches as big as quarters.

I suspected there was a word for that telltale aroma but somehow I expected it to be a soft sounding word. Don't ask me why. Oh, well, after reading about the word's origins, it makes perfect sense.

Do you know if there's a word for the way the air smells when it's about to snow? That's another scent I love.

Let's invent one. You go first.

I always thought the smell came from blacktop. Anyway, I vote for State holidays on the first rain day of the season. We should all get to hang in our pajamas and listen to the pitter patter on the roof.

Wonderful idea. Bring on the rain!

Oooh, a word challenge! I'm up for it. Oh, wait, considering how many words the Inuit people have for snow, maybe they already thought this one up.

I was right, they have. Here are some possibilities, according to http://www.mendosa.com/snow.html:
klin - remembered snow
penstla - the idea of snow
ylaipi - tomorrow's snow

Okay, I 'fess up, the list of 100 words for snow is a hoax. I mean, really, it's doubtful the Inuits used tla-na-na (snow mixed with the sound of old rock and roll rom a portable radio) or depptla (a small snowball, preserved in Lucite, that had been handled by Johnny Depp) in conversation. So what if the words are made up, it's a fun list. And who knows what creativity it will spark.