Before the Deluge

September 16, 2014

I have drained my water barrel and am preparing for a storm of mighty proportions.  Arizona has had a good year of rain during our monsoon season this year, but the last round was too intense.  There was flooding all over the state, but Phoenix was hit hardest because the major freeway through that city was flooded and closed. There were disasters and deaths by drowning during our recent storms.  Today we are bracing for what we are told will be 5 inches of rain in about 3 days.  At this time the predictors are off a bit because it was to have rained all day today.  We had some light sprinkles in the morning, but the deluge has not yet arrived.  I took the dog for a walk early because I was convinced we would be trapped by rain all day.  The sky is grey and the air very humid.  The smell of wet creosote bush confirms that  summer rains are still in gear.  We normally welcome rain in all forms and amounts, but this is on the scary side.  There is nothing to be done except get some sand bags ready for the back door just in case we need to protect our home.

I am thinking of it as a baptism.  The rain can wash away all the recent violence in our neighborhood and cleanse the air.  I hope people will pay attention to safety and stop themselves before driving into washes to be swept away to drowning death.  As natural disasters go floods are swift and powerful.  I am hoping our washes and rivers will stay within their bounds and that nobody will loose life or home.  All we can do is be careful.  Have you ever lived through a flood?