We had our first big monsoon rain on Wednesday, and everything still looks washed and fresh. I can't wait to go to the mountains, or at least the foothills, in the next few weeks, to see the wildflowers that will be blooming. In the meanwhile, the garden is full of butterflies and hummingbirds and bees and dragonflies. They are all going about their business in a most playful way. I almost expect to see a few of Tessa Farmer's skeleton fairies playing mischief on them. It is a never-ending festival of work and flight and buzzing and chasing and quarreling and pairing.
For everything living in the desert, the rains are truly the source of life. From the spadefoot toads that stay buried until the rains bring temporary breeding ponds, to the ocotillo that only puts out leaves and blooms after the rain, everything in nature rejoices and thrives during the short rainy season, including people.
