Wet times in Arizona

I'm not complaining, really, I'm not.     I understand that rain in the west is a good thing, something to be celebrated.    The desert is green, my plants are very happy and we need rain.    

I do, however, love the blue Arizona skies.   I love the sunshine; we all love it.   It's one of the reasons we moved here.    My lizard is happy when its sunny and he's warm.     I know it's winter.    It's been raining on and off for a week now.   Sometimes a sprinkle, but most often a deluge.     Last week, in the course of two days, we received 6 inches.

Our house sits on an island of sorts.   When it rains hard, we're surrounded by rushing washes.    They aren't terribly deep, but deep enough that Dave had to hop on a passing neighbor's truck running board to get back to the house from the Beluga building.    Yes, the neighbor stopped first.

the wash between the house and Beluga building

wash running behind the house (it even has a waterfall!)

the wash that is our road....

I'm not complaining.    Being on an island isn't all that bad.    The washes dry up relatively quickly but.....   Wickenburg's normally dry stretch of the Hassayampa River was a raging torrent, sweeping away two vehicles and calling for a swift water rescue of the occupants.   In another close by area another man wasn't so lucky, and his body was found 6 miles downstream.       These haven't been ordinary rains.

These storms tease you.    They pull away leaving you with rainbows and fantastic cloud formations and confidence that the blue sky will return in the morning.     

Lately though, they've regrouped and come back again.    I'm not complaining, just explaining.

Our sweet Taos does not like rain.  He never did.   You probably remember Dave's creative efforts with the hose to help him get used to it. 

 Actually, it's his only fault.    He will not go out (on his own) to take care of business if it's raining in any way.   No matter how much we coax.

let me back in the house, please?

We've had to resort to clipping on a leash and "accompanying" him into the yard to accomplish the necessary business. 

I'm not complaining, really, I'm not.    This wet spell can't last forever, and we do have a nice cozy fireplace to warm and dry us.  

  

happiness

Oh dear, here it comes again.....

At least Annie is happy when it rains at her house!