Nectar Hawk

I don't know if I've ever referred to Zippy as a hawk before but he certainly knows how to zip and sip when he has his eye on "prey."

Yesterday afternoon we had our first major monsoon thunderstorm.  Tucson broke a record for the day with 0.17 inches (yep, that wee amount is a record!) and it was the first measurable rain since 28 February - the 4th longest dry spell ever. The bad news is that my mom's roof leaked.  The good news was that I had only one window leak...but that was probably my fault for not having it locked securely.  The really, really good news is that it has led to a brilliant June day.   About 8 flowers bloomed this morning on the grizzly prickly pear, the red yucca stalks which had dried up have flowers with new life and these cholla flowers attracted the Zipster.

What a difference a year makes.  In June 2017 we had three straight days of 115°/46° and the last 19 days of the month were 105°/41°  or higher. While we have had several really hot days, which is expected since June is typically the hottest month of the year in the Sonoran desert,  there are only five days between now and the end of the month forecast to be in triple digits for Green Valley.  No more rain in sight, either, so I'll have a chance to get mom's roof fixed.

We need over 12 inches of rain in the next four months to break the severe drought, which we won't get.  But at least half of that would be awfully nice. I'm looking forward to the greening of the desert when the monsoon hits for good - typically around Independence Day.  

I read an article on a local news website which began, " Sorry Christmas. For desert dwellers, Monsoon is the most wonderful time of the year."  That may be a bit hyperbolic but it's definitely true for me!