An old friend is on the way

Every summer in the desert southwest an old friend comes to visit. We call that old friend monsoon. I can speak only for the time that I have been in southern Arizona, which is over 30 years now. What I have seen over the years is the rains usually start in the first half of July and continue until late August or early September.

Yesterday on my relaxing drive home, I caught a glimpse of our old friend. Off in the distance to the east, billowing clouds illuminated in variegated hues of orange against the late afternoon sky. A calling card, if you will. A sign that says, don’t fret, I’ll be along soon. Dwellers in the desert look forward to its arrival.

Once the monsoons arrive the desert awakens from a fitful, arid slumber. Brown grass stubble erupts into swaying oceans of green. What appears to be an arrangement of large spiny dead sticks to a passerby becomes narrow green columns topped with a dazzling spray of crimson flowers on each one. Nearly every desert plant will burst forth with flowers and fruits, giving much needed nourishment to all the deserts inhabitants. Dry washes will flow with a rage the likes of which many have never seen before. Nothing will be left unmarred if it is found in the path of a monsoon flash flood.

Every year as the monsoon draws to a close, we wish our old friend would stay a little longer, but we also look forward to its departure. For once the monsoons leave, fall will stop by for a long visit while we await the bitter cold of winter when some days the high temperatures struggle to climb out of the 60’s.

Welcome, old friend. I look forward to your visit.