We hope readers had an opportunity to check out the time-lapse video on our website of Cachuma Lake responding to recent heavy rains, and slowly filling up. It is breathtaking to watch. Although heavy winter rains can be a major pain, we also must acknowledge their overall benefit of bringing something we desperately need — water. It’s easy to overlook the recent years of severe drought conditions when it’s pouring outside, but drought is one of the facts of life in California, and will likely continue to be in all of our lifetimes.