After an almost decade long period where the monsoon season was something talked abut in history class or at the coffee shop where the old timers gather we are experiencing a rainy season that is nearing Biblical proportions. In recent years it was so dry we were hunting jerky instead of deer but now we may be able to fish in the desert near Yucca, kayak from Kingman to Needles, and instead of fussing over the towering weeds and grass in the back yard, build an ark instead.
When I was a kid in Kingman eight to ten inches of rain and snow annually was about average. For most of this century, with the exception of last August, the lack of rain made four to six inches the new normal.
Well, there are indications that 1931 was the year of the monsoon record for Kingman with almost seven inches falling in just over thirty days. If that record hasn’t been shattered yet I know we have to be nipping at its heels.
Friday afternoon, rain. Yesterday afternoon, rain. This morning, a steady falling drizzle.
Plans to hack my way through the jungle in the backyard this weekend are fading fast resultant of the grass that is never dry. So, it continues to grow at such a speed you can almost hear it. Amazing!
Still, there are no complaints. Regardless of how deep the water is in the streets or how many roads wash out I have lived in this country for far to long to be unappreciative of rain.
The transformation of the desert with steady rain is truly a wonder to behold. In what seems to be an instant, the landscape is transformed from a vast sea of brown and shades of tan to rich greens that accentuate the colors of the rocky ridges and the towering purple mountains on the horizon.
Depending on season, wild flowers add a garish splash of color that is nothing short of stunning. So, even though my weekend plans are being drastically altered, I have no complaints.
Instead I will focus on the Route 66 atlas, time spent with my dearest friend, and trying to figure out computer issues I noted yesterday. In general, I might even have time to simply unwind before another whirlwind week gets started.
