Rainbows

We are in the midst of our summer monsoons here in Arizona, a time where the heat of the day creates violent afternoon thunderstorms that come rushing through in a fury, dropping rain willy-nilly across the desert floor. Last week, one such storm cleared quickly to the west just before sundown and ... Continue reading

Bobcat pays a visit

A bobcat stopped to rest in my back yard the other morning, giving me a rare opportunity to take some photos. Bobcats hunt at dusk and dawn, spending the night and day hiding and resting. They are solitary animals. Whenever I've seen one, it has been on the move, walking or trotting stealthily, eyes ... Continue reading

Sunset colors

We had a beautiful sunset this afternoon. I took these two photos within a couple of minutes of each other, as the sun was sinking lower and the sky was darkening. The plant is a yucca. ... Continue reading

Arizona in the Sweet Sixteen

Tucson's University of Arizona Wildcats have danced to the Sweet Sixteen, a sweet result for a talented and hard-working group of student-athletes. Interim Coach Russ Pennell stepped into leadership in the fall and restored confidence and stability to the program after Coach Lute Olson's very public ... Continue reading

Beauty and violence

Our desert monsoon has arrived, and the hills are turning from brown to green. The monsoon is a seasonal shift in our southern Arizona weather patterns, bringing moisture-laden air from Mexico to mix with the desert heat, resulting in sometimes-violent thunder storms. These powerful storms are ... Continue reading

Monsters among us

"How large the dreaded Gila Monster grows, no man can say." — from the forgettable 1959 B-movie, The Giant Gila Monster One of the Sonoran Desert's fascinating creatures is the Gila Monster (pronounced HEE-lah), the only poisonous lizard native to the US and one of the oldest lizards in North ... Continue reading

Monsoon

When God divided out the wind and the water, and when he decided the path for rain and lightning, he also determined the truth and defined wisdom. God told us, "Wisdom means that you respect me, the Lord, and turn from sin." — Job 28:25-28, CEV Summer is hot in Arizona. Our prevailing winds come ... Continue reading

Showers of blessing

It rained this afternoon. A fierce storm came growling up the valley spewing lightning and raindrops the size of silver dollars. People went to the windows to watch. The air freshened—what exactly is that smell of rain approaching? Can't put my finger on it, but my nose knows it.Rain is a big ... Continue reading