The -- Mostly -- Desert Scene

When we returned to Tucson, things were NOT in their usual condition. About a mile from our house, there is an overpass over the Rillito river. Here is a picture of the river in its normal state, taken last January:



Yes, that is a Tucson river. There is usually no water in the "river" out here. Notice the trees in the riverbed here.

Here is a picture of the Rillito as it appeared on our return from the White Mountains:



Do you see any trees in the riverbed? Neither do I -- they are under water! One gentleman I saw while taking this picture said that he had never seen the river this full in the 30 years that he has lived in Tucson. Not only was the river full, but it was also flowing quite rapidly. There was a standing wave in the river near where I was taking pictures:



and the pylons for the bridge were taking quite a beating: