monsoon madness!

This summer has been unlike the last three I've experienced here in the Sonoran Desert. Is it El Nino or La Nina that is causing the cooler temps and scattered storms? Or is it simply global climate change?

May was wonderfully cool and June was hot but cooled off mid month when the early monsoon rains began. The monsoons have not been violent as in past years--these rains have been soft, soaking. I know the plants love it. I have heard the coyotes just recently again--I surmise they've been busy with their pups and hunting closer to home. The rabbit population where I live has expanded in their absence. The javelinas are less noticeable but still cleaning up our compost pile--I hope to see some babies sometime soon.

My Bufo toad disappeared at the end of last year. I'm not sure how long they live. We have another smaller one now but I haven't determined where he hides during the day. It amazes me how they live at all.

Thunder is beginning now and we may have another storm this afternoon. I'm always up for it, especially when the winds whistle through the palo verde trees, scattering dried leaves and cleaning off our patio.

And the clouds have been nothing short of amazing--animals drifting slowly by and changing from dragon to bear to fish as we watch. This is the scene on my walk this morning.

I like this time of year when traffic thins and restaurants are less crowded. There is a camaraderie with those of us who tough it out during the heat of the summer months. Life goes on at a slower pace.

thunder, lightning!

The last couple of days have been humid--heating up to thunderstorms in the afternoon. Yesterday our storm fizzled, but the day before we had a doozy! I wanted to sit outside and watch the clouds build, listen to the thunder rolling across the valley but after the first lightning strike and a CLAP of thunder right above us, I scurried into the house. The temperature went from 90 to 60 in the blink of an eye.

The Catalinas completely disappeared during the storm. The hill behind our house was lit up in an eerie yellow light coming from the west and beyond that a wall of dark gray. Truly spectacular! And at the end of it all we had a double rainbow! I'm beginning to really appreciate monsoon season. The moist air, the call of doves, the fluting voices of finches make me think of  Hawaii--the difference being no lush plants, just desert cactus, Saguaros, and now Ocotillo completely covered in tiny leaves! Maybe the novelty will wear off but the speed with which things change after a rain is mind-boggling!

Because of the cooler temps, I've been able to open my windows again to the night sounds. I've been wondering where the coyotes have been and last night my question was answered--they've been raising their young. I heard the baby yips and barks mixed in with the older voices around 9 o'clock. At 1:30 I

woke to deeper yips very close to our house--I think the babies had been taken home by that point.

Maybe it was their first hunting expedition. 

I love living amongst the wild things--they make me smile despite the loss of our cat two months ago. 

I have yet to see the Javalina but I know they're around. I've seen some strange deer-like hoof-like prints in the sand of our road that may or may not be theirs. We did lose several small succulent cactus while we were out of town--were they the culprits? I can't imagine a rabbit eating something so spiny.

Every day my dog gives chase to one of the myriad bunnies hanging out under the bushes surrounding our house...yesterday the bunny took off with Buddha close behind and a minute or so later the bunny had circled back to end up under the very same bush. Buddha looked perplexed, his head cocked to one side in confusion as he arrived panting and exhausted.