Big Rain and Desert Pictures

A soggy day in Northwestern Arizona thanks to a front moving in from California. We are told to expect 5 inches of rain today and tomorrow. That`s a lot of water!  I know there will be lots of flash flooding and deep waters on the roads. We live on a dirt road so we`ll have lots of fun driving on wet sticky clay. It`s not a freezing rain and happy we won`t have snow. I noticed last week the Joshua trees once brown and dry are brighter and greener thanks to rain a month ago. The persistent drought caused a large die off of trees. Ours is one of the largest Joshua forests in the world.

 Removal of the trees from residential lots in our area is discouraged and permits are needed to remove them from the desert. It`s amazing how much shade Joshua`s provide. In the summer they are covered with pungent flowers that produce seed. Cactus Wrens fill the branches with nests, ravens perch there watching my dogs to see if there will be leftover food, owls communicate nightly from the tree tops. I like hearing the comforting hoot of owls. The desert at night is beautiful. We are covered by a star filled canopy. Many of my neighbors have telescopes and there is an enforced night sky ordinance forbidding the use of certain types of outdoor lights so as not to obscure the view.

Time for hot chocolate. Take care and Merry Christmas.
Cathy