After the Rain

It is certainly a very rare occasion when I get to walk in the Desert Botanical Garden in late August but, late Thursday afternoon a wonderful thunderstorm rolled into the valley and the clouds opened up and blessed us with some much needed rain.

Understanding that desert rains seldom last long, I headed toward the garden on the chance that it might stop by the time I got there.  My timing was perfect.  Only occasional sprinkles were leading the way.  But, the heavy rain that preceded had covered the plants with raindrops and the paths with puddles.

The top shot is a desert rose welcoming the rain.  To the left is a saguaro lit up by the setting sun that was just then peeking through on the horizon.

And as I extended the telephoto lens to capture that big cloud to the south, a US Airways jet taking off from the airport glided into my view.  Needless to say, I enjoyed my late August romp in the garden.