A Rare Event - Rain

        Yesterday it rained for the first time since December 20.    That's a long time, even by Arizona standards.     It was even more unusual because it was an all day, soaking kind of rain.    The kind that gardeners love.

       Usually we'll have violent, hard rains that obscure the road and soak you to the bone if you're unlucky enough to get caught in them.    Of course they do can worse than soak anyone unlucky enough to be caught in a canyon or a low lying wash area.    But yesterday's event had been forecasted for days and wished and planned for by everyone I know.    

        I took pictures of the clouds and the puddles it left behind, but Blogger doesn't seem to want to upload my pix today.    Maybe its because I've been AWOL for so long that it doesn't recognize me.    I'll try again later since rain is such a rare event here.   One that deserves to be celebrated.

 

The Desert in Bloom - White Tanks Park

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The wet weather in February has paid off in beautiful wildflowers. The desert is now green and lush.

These photos were taken at the White Tanks, a Maricopa County park near where I live. One of my favorite places for a Sunday visit, which this was. The pix were taken March 25. The blue Lupines were spectacular.

I´m not sure of the name of this cactus. Claret Hedgehog, perhaps? The color was too good to pass up. Had to get down on my knees to get a close up, too!

These are Mexican Gold Poppies. We also sawBrittlebush and lots of blooms, which means I must go back next weekend. The creosote bushes smelled so good, too. I love their scent, although I know it isn´t for everyone.

We didn´t see any wildlife other than a few birds. I said it was too early for rattlesnakes--but I was wrong! Someone told me her neighbor had gone for a family hike this week and saw one in the parking lot!