Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Monsoon Mountain

Earlier this week we had a hellacious monsoon storm.  Storm clouds rolling in late in the day, the wind whipping up, thunder, lightning, torrential rain.

In some parts of town, the severity of the storm had more impact.

The Tucson monsoon season typically starts in mid-June and finishes up at the end of September. July and August see the worst storms, but anyone who lives here knows when they're coming and what to expect.

And what to expect, is rain every day.

It doesn't rain for long, but the rainfall is heavy.  The water in the washes rise to dangerous levels, flash floods that can sweep unsuspecting motorists downstream.  There are mudslides in the mountains, and yards fill up with water that disappears hours later.  Two years ago we had this scenario in our front yard.

I love how the sky gets dark and although still uncomfortably warm, it feels like a stormy day back east.  I love rainy days and I like losing the blazing sun for a little while each day.  And during and after the rain falls, the air is heavy with the scent of creosote.  It's the most distinct after-storm smell I've ever encountered.  It smells like wood.  Earthy, wet, but on-fire wood.  In fact, my mother and I both asked Ed if he left the barbecue on because it smelled like he was still cooking something, or burning off the wood chips.  It's that strong.

I enjoy the monsoons.  And you just get used to knowing exactly when they're coming.  The sky is your guide.  In the more than a decade that Ed and I have been together, we're rarely home during the summer (we're smart), so we often miss monsoon.  And unfortunately, the day of this fierce storm was also the day Ed decided to power wash the porch, the exterior windows of the house, his pickup, and my mother's car.

Looks like Mother Nature is responsible for their spotty finish.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2015: 
Patriotic Blooms

2014: Someone's Going Home With This
2013: Hey Cutie!
2012: I’ll Have To Pry It From Her Dead, Cold Fingers
2011: Straight Talk
2010: Who Knew There Were Things To Do Other Than Eating Pie?
2009: 157 Years Of Light
2008: Call Me. We Have Telephones In Nebraska Now.
2007: Reach For The Sky
2006: Sorry, no post on this day.
2005: Sorry, no post on this day.

No comments: