A little Bit About Me

My photo




Someplace in Thyme

I have been creating since I was a little girl. I am happy to say that having my own website has opened up a whole new world for me. Trying new mediums is a joy and sometimes a real eye opener. I sell what I create on etsy and my website, someplaceinthyme. If you have questions,please email me at cpeterson72@q.com. I welcome new blog friends and am honored if you find my little piece of heaven interesting enough to follow.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

RAIN! The GOOD The BAD And The UGLY

Rain, you know....liquid gold. I think most of us have heard that ugly word: drought, lived it and experienced it too. That is why, no matter how much rain we receive, it just never seems like it's enough. When the rest of the country was having terrible snow storms a couple of weeks ago., (we also received so much snow in the mountains that they had to close down the ski slopes) we were having rain....glorious rain. The picture above shows a paved walking and bike path that runs from our community, through the desert and into other communities. The path is approx. 5 miles round trip. This is what I do on a daily basis for exercise, I ride my bike. On both sides of this path is the Queen Creek Wash. This is where excess rain water travels from one place to another and crosses at this point from one side to the other.
Along the way, you pass this park with play ground equipment and grass. As you can see by the colored lines, this became a pond! We had inches of rain and the desert was full. It just could not drink anymore.

While riding, I often run into some friends. Bunnies, Jackrabbits, Quail and today, Ta Da, a Roadrunner decided to stop and allow me to take his picture.


This is a beautiful path to enjoy some time walking or riding. There is always something beautiful to catch the eye, but on this day, I saw the ugly side of too much rain. I saw the destruction that Mother Nature can unleash on the land. Water has a mind of it's own. It goes where it wants to go, not necessarily where you want it to. The wash was alive and flowed with a strong current, taking everything in it's way. It carved out the path it wanted to flow and created chaos as well as beauty.

The current eroded the soil, sweeping it and depositing it where it desired. What is left behind was ugly and in need of repair. The parks and recreation dept. takes care of the wash and the path. They have their work cut out for them, that's for sure.


Stone fences are down, resting areas are moved because the soil has disappeared.

A section of what was part of the path, is gone, crumbling due to erosion.

You can tell that the wash used to be level with the path. It was never straight across to the other side. The earth had been carved in and out, natural desert, beautiful, but the rain and the currents have carved out a new desert and a new path. I would have loved to have seen it when it was a it's fullest, wet with liquid gold.

Rain water still left, under the road, around a piling. We needed this moisture, I am not complaining, but I am left in awe of the power of running water and how it carves out the earth below.

Still today, you can see the earth can drink no more.

At the same time, you can't ignore the beauty that is left behind. Once a fairly flat surface, not a natural beauty of curves and lines. A gorgeous rippling of the desert dry bed.

It's like beautiful artwork.


I was captivated and had to stare, taking it all in, enjoying how the sun bounced off the curves, the shine of the silt and the shadows that were caught.


Oh yes, rain, we all need it, the earth needs it. There never seems to be enough of it, but as ugly as it can be, as powerful as it can get, it can also be more beautiful than you can imagine.

13 comments:

Brenda Pruitt said...

It is like artwork! Amazing what Mother Nature can do. I love the photo of the road runner! I would be in heaven catching an opportunity to photograph that.
Brenda

Mimi said...

HI Char!!!!!
Oh gosh I loved those pics!!!!!You want to know how many times I have tried to photograph a roadrunner, lots and never seem to capture one that great!!!!!
The path you walk/ride on is awesome!!!!!
The rain is like gold to us here in the desert!!!!
It is also very scary because of it's force!!!!
Great shots and story!!!!
hugs,
jamie
I cannot do lunch this week as hubby is off today, I had plans on Wed. and Thursday I have baby!!!!!
SO maybe next week, before I head out of town!!!!!

Lisa said...

It is great you got a pic of the roadrunner! How obliging he was! I love your path, sorry about the drought. It always seems too much one place too little in others. As we had drought last year the mid west was flooding daily! It never seems to even out! Hope you get some rain soon!
Hugs, Lisa

Shirley said...

There never seems to be a happy medium whether it is the rain or the snow. Mother Nature has a mind of it's own and does whatever it wants. You sometimes wonder if you are being punished because of the weather that you receive. I loved your photos. We went through a flood in 93, the main thing there was the whole city pulled together to fill the sand bags, help one and another to clean up afterwards. Everybody got water in their basements because of the ground being so saturated. You take care.

Country Wings in Phoenix said...

Hi Char Sweetie...
You sure did capture some of our beauty here in the desert. I so love to see the designs that the rain water leaves behind. Your wash area looks beautiful as a design, but like you have said we are not equipped or are our washes built to withstand the rain water when it comes so quickly.

I adore the little roadrunner you were able to capture. He is post card perfect. Thank youf or sharing.

I met your beautiful friend Gail the other day. She stopped by and I popped back over to see her little store. I would love to go and visit there one day. That would be a lovely outing together.

THank you for sharing sweetie. Have a beautiful day.

Country hugs and so much love...Sherry

Joyce said...

Thanks for peaking in at my blog today. I scrolled thru your blog and I stopped at Cabo. Went once while we were living on the west coast. How was Disney with 2 little ones? Any suggestions for hotels and what to do or not to do with 2 little toddlers? We are planning on going with the grands but the hotel choices are endless. I think by looking at your photos and the ones my son just emailed me from the east coast are such a contrast that Mother Nature is playing havoc here lately. I use to live in Roswell so we were sort of neighbors:)
Joyce

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Hi Char

It seems the whole country has been having very unusual weather this winter. We were walloped with over a foot of snow today!

I never saw a roadrunner before..this is a great photo!

Hope the rain stops out there soon and the damage gets repaired quickly. Stay safe!

Gigi said...

Feast or famine, isn't it? Here in Texas, we've been rained on for weeks -- our back yard looks like a pond -- we even have ducks swimming in it! We southwesterners love our rain though, don't we?
Blessings,
G

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Thank you for coming by to visit! What a beautiful and almost chilling landscape you have!!! Come again, please! I love your header. Anita

Karen Valentine said...

Hi Char! Thanks for coming over for a visit. Your pictures of what all that rain does to us are great. I live a fairly built up area of Scottsdale so I don't really get to see what all that rain does unless I go out walking. I bet you were stoked about the roadrunner. They are usually so fast to get out of the way of people. I think spring in the desert this year is going to AMAZING!!! I hear it's going to be 71 tomorrow and 77 by the middle of next week. I love those temps but I do hope they stay there or lower for several more months!

Karen
My Desert Cottage

GwendolynKay said...

I have never experienced a drought. But I do love when it rains. rain is life giving water from heaven. Priase God for it!
Blessings!
Gwen

Unknown said...

G'eve Char ~ What exquisite beautiful pictures you captured. People out here would trade this 54" of snow for your rain in a heart beat, I think I am the only ONE who is enjoying it, chuckle.

And a roadrunner! Wow, that is so cool!

Happy Valentine's
Have a great weekend.
Hugs, TTFN ~Marydon

Cindy@Cutepinkstuff said...

Never knew sand could look like ocean waves! Wonderful pics. Thanks for stopping by to see my 50's Mermaid and friends!