Tucson, Arizona! (Photos Of The Surrounding Desert Beauty - August 2006)
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Tucson, Arizona. The name conjures up visions of the
desert,
intense heat and a drought stricken land. Such is true, but only to a point. We had quite a few days
of storms with a very decent rainfall. After the rain fall, the desert comes alive: lush, green and full of life.
The storms prompted quite a few surprises.
Note the saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) bloom. This picture was taken on August 5, 2006.
Arizona Fishhook Barrel (Ferocactus wislizenii) starting to bloom.
Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) leafed up. A desert tree
that just can not get any greener thanks to the rains.
Prickly Pear (Opuntia engelmannii v. engelmannii) in a wash
that still has water. It’s been five days since the last storm.
A rare sight: A desert waterfall. The sound, sight and smell
of water is very inspiring.
The run-off from the waterfall.
The desert showing off its greenery.
A desert hillside.
Desert view.
The desert floor.
A quiet canyon.
-These pictures and commentary were submitted by Joel Smith in Tucson, Arizona.
