Finally some Rain.  Spring was a bust and the desert is parched.  Everything is brown and it has been a hard time for the wildlife.  The promised El Nino did not materialize and the irrigation could not keep up with dry weather.  I struggled to get the front garden area at the Painted Pony Resort looking presentable for guests partly the result of irrigation and partly because of a major pruning last winter where 15 yards of materiel was removed.  Expecting good El Nino rains I heavily pruned all the plants and was relying on the rains to kick start the garden and allow new growth which would cover any pruning errors.  But the rains never materialized here in the valley and I have been watering the plants by hand to supplement the irrigation.  The yearly rainfall total currently stands at 1.33", not good for the first 6 months of the year but if the rain continues and the monsoons are strong this hardy landscape will recover.

The next day while writing the draft post clouds started to build again.  A large buildup resulting in the last photograph which dissipated with some rain in the Chiricahua Mountains but none on the estate.  A second buildup after sunset did deliver another 0.17" on the estate.  Good news for the dry conditions in the valley.