20190115 - Rain in the Desert

     You'd think we had never seen rain before, but you need to know that this is only our third winter in the Sonoran Desert and, while we have seen rain here, we've never witnessed this much rain at one time. It has been an exciting experience. I almost feel like it is a privilege to be here and share in this important cycle of desert life. 

     Everything we intellectually knew about the desert; e.g. why water runs off and floods dry washes; was suddenly taking place before us. The dry wash next to us didn't flood, but it went from being totally dry to a fast moving stream at least calf deep. 

     I'm sure it was my imagination, or a combination of my imagination and the fact that the rain did wash the dust off the plants making them look greener, but I felt that I could almost sense the plants scurrying, as well as plants can scurry, to absorb and store the life giving elixer. 

     There are some credible botonist who argue that there is a plant consciousness that moves, albeit very slowly, to protect the plant and survive.  The creosote bush, Larrea 

Tridentata or Hediondilla in the Sonoran Desert, is a good example. Even though it was the local pharmacy to Native Americans, it does have a toxicity that keeps other plants away. That means it keeps other plants away from its water. In fact the Spanish name for the creosote is Gobernadora, "governness", because of this ability. Water is life. 

     The Ocotilla seem to green with a rain. They appear dead most of the year but with water they become a beautiful green with orange-red flowers.  

     The Palo Verde tree are another plant that must be enjoying this rain.  It is the Saguaro Cactus best friend and is often a nurse tree to young Saguaro.  They live along the washes and can live to be 100 years old.  

     Many of these plants will reduce the number of leaves during the summer to conserve water. In the wet season they put out more leaves. The sage behind us seems to be bushier. There is no doubt that it is putting out leaves to collect the precious water. 

     The cactus can go for years without water. They have extensive root systems which absorb any moisture and stores it in the body of the plant. They must be sucking and storing like crazy today. Many people have watched too many movies and think that you can get drinking water from cactus. Maybe some, but the liquid of many is too alkaline to drink and would make you worse off than going without water. 

     The rain stopped about an hour ago. There is a thin line of clear blue in the distant west. We're still pretty overcase. The streamlets on the ground around us are are gone. Only some displaced sand tells where they were. The dry wash that was a swiftly flowing stream a short while ago is again dry, except for an occasional small puddle of water. By morning I would suspect there will be little sign of almost 20 hours of rain. 

     The day was a magnificent new experience for me. I was witness to a very different desert.  It was a peaceful day and the rain was almost comforting. I wonder whether this type of rain is a respite for life in the desert. Did it give plant and animal life a momentary break from the arduous task of survival?  That's how I imagine it. Whether or not I'm right there is no denying that it is an important part of life in the desert.  I am so happy I was here to see it.