Friday, September 19, 2014

When it rains, it POURS

Every once and a while, nature reminds us to be humble. After months of little or no rain, a thunderstorm hit Joshua Tree upside the head. Last Tuesday, at around 3 pm or so, rain began to fall in our neighborhood. I was so excited, I ran outside and ran around the house several times, just to feel the drops hit my skin. I couldn't contain my excitement. The rain began to come down harder. Thunder and lightening. Terrified dog. Hail. Louder thunder and lightening. More rain. Hail. The backyard begins to look like a small creek. Then a river. Wind picks up. Now, my elation is turning into something else. The road in front of the house also looks like a river. More rain. Thunder is now loud enough that I jump each time. A loud >CRACK< and a bright, white light. (We think this may have been lightening hitting the house.) More rain. More hail.


Finally, after about an hour, the rain did stop. We were lucky. No water or mud came into our house or garage. No one was hurt. We ended up without internet for a few days, but for the most part, we were unscathed. Others were not so lucky. One man was killed after his car became stuck in the mud and a wall of water came down and rolled his car over several times. Many of our neighbors have mud in their garages and one house had a car buried in mud up past the hubcaps. Our road is washed out in several places. I have never seen anything like it. Ever.

I am a little tired of shoveling dirt and mud. We had to repair part of our driveway and remove mud from the sidewalk around our house. I am also trying to locate a sprinkler head that was beneath one of our trees. I still haven't found it. Trails that were once familiar paths where we walk Pono are now remodeled by the water and nearly unrecognizable. A reminder of the power of water.

Work in the studio has been interrupted somewhat by the storm frenzy and by husband coming home after being away. Nevertheless, I am gearing up for the Hwy 62 Art Tours October 25th & 26th and November 1st and 2nd. I have framed half a dozen small jackrabbit drawings and I am getting things wired for hanging, photographed and hung on the wall!!! Very exciting! If you haven't been to the desert for the Art Tours yet, I highly recommend it. You have a chance to see the studios of many area artists during the best time of the year (weather- wise). I will try to put in a word with the BIG GUY for no big thunderstorms during this event. ;) For more information about the Art Tours, click here.




I'm going to try to have some of these drawings available for sale online soon. I'll keep you updated!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!!

5 comments:

emmet said...

Someday I will come for the Art Tours.

Denny1600 said...

I'm so glad that you came through the storm in good shape. I thought about you when I saw it on the news. The rabbits are great! Pono must find the changed landscape interesting with new smells and all that.

Unknown said...

Hi, we live behind you and the bottom of our driveway was washed out along with the road. You might have seen my husband working to repair it on your walk with Pono, or at least the results of his efforts! I'll be over there later this week and plan to walk the area to see the damage.

Unknown said...

Hi Teri, Yes, I did see the bottom of your driveway - and the road. Our road seems to be getting progressively worse as it dries out. I'm just glad our house wasn't flooded. Did your house survive okay?

Denny, Pono is having a great time with the new smells and he loves mud. :)

Emmet - you would love the Art Tours. One day!!!

Anonymous said...

That's wonderful. And wild.

The photos of the dried ground are neat-o.

Can't wait to see what the Art Tours have to show me this year.

Terry V.