For what seems like months, we've had rain and snow here in the upper Sonoran desert. I think it's actually only been about a week, but when you get used to the brilliant blue daytime sky and the intense sparkle of the stars at night, it seems to add up quickly.

Not that I'm complaining. We're smack-dab in the middle of a 12-year drought according to locals who've been here for much longer than I. All this rain and snow pack in the mountains should prove most beneficial to the plant community in the weeks and months to come. Spring is an even more dramatic even here in the desert, where color seems to spring forth from the barren rocks, covering every nook and cranny with life.

Hooray for spring time in the desert!