Sunday, July 15, 2012

desert rain

Rain has come to the desert ...


BIG rain.  Arizona's summer monsoon.


The rains have been hitting the rim -- which is to say the Colorado Plateau -- for a week or so, but they hadn't made it past the wall of heat in Sedona and Phoenix until now.

Yesterday we had storm after storm blowing through this valley, bringing splendidly chilly air and filling the dry wash behind our casita.




I can't say the animals were happy.  They're absolutely terrified of thunder, and they followed me so closely all day that I kept tripping over them! Poor Isis wouldn't even leave my side when I went out in the rain to take photos of the wash or to go for a walk. But me? I was in heaven.

The most beautiful, sensual part about desert rains in the aroma.  In Phoenix it smells of creosote bush; it's an acrid, musky smell when you first encounter it, but it works its way into your soul once you've lived in the low desert.  In Taos, there's an enchanting perfume of sagebrush. Here in Sedona, it's the ancient, resinous aromas of juniper and pinon pine.




(there's Isis, by the way, saying "can't we go home and get out of the rain?!")

It had been blazingly sunny and in the low 100s here where we're staying -- rather unpleasant since we only have a swamp cooler on the house.  But right now, sitting on the front porch, it's a lovely 69 degrees. The crickets are chirping. The little toads are hopping about in the driveway. 

The rains have thankfully broken the heat. And they've cooled my head and helped me think, so that I think I've finally broken the back of this dissertation chapter I've been agonizing over.  You might say it's been a watershed weekend, ha ha

6 comments:

KiniaCat Crafts said...

Loverly!
It's starting to rain here in Tucson as I read your latest entry. I'm going to go stand outside for a bit.
Isis would not approve. ;-)

Grammy Braxton said...

I had to google "Swamp Cooler" as I had never heard that term. Living in Tennessee, we have plenty of moisture in the air so that explains my ignorance of that type of cooling. Love the photos. Sedona looks to be a lovely place to live.

Acorn to Oak said...

Ahhhh...I love summer rain! We've been having storms here too. We've been able to see the lightning over the desert at night...very far away...it's been quite spectacular. I love those smells you talked about too....mmmmm! I understand how this kind of weather and the wonderful scents can help you with creativity so you could get more of your work done. It always makes me feel so great and creative too. :-)

nordwolke said...

Wonderful blog entry. I am wishing you a lot of success with your dissertation!

Anonymous said...

Lovely,lovely post.

Anonymous said...

It's Willy Wonka's chocolate river, lol.