Sparkling Sands – Photo Essay

The desert, after a heavy rain, has brilliant surprises.

Here’s the view looking upstream in Honeybee Canyon Wash, just north of Tucson, AZ.

And here’s the view from the same spot, looking downstream.

In central Tucson, the Rillito River ran for days after a week of unusual December rain.

Low-angled morning sunlight spreads across the water, edge to edge.

The magical view is constantly changing.

Standing just above the water, I could be viewing this desert from countless miles aloft.

Turn around, and there’s a tiny moon sneaking past the top of an ancient saguaro cactus, reaching out from the arid mountains.

Rain is scarce and infrequent. Cacti and desert plants flourish on scant amounts of water. Mountain storms replenish washes and rivers. A joy to experience.