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Tuesday, March 9, 1999
It's the second week of March and our spring is nonexistent. Yes, I know that people in the east are still digging out of the snow, but by March we are usually well into spring. Trees are budding, if not already leafed out. Saguaros are blooming. Flowers are showing across the desert. This year there is virtually nothing. Our spring depends mainly on the late fall rains, which were didn't really happen. The fall rains are what tell the seeds, many of which can lie in the ground for several years before blooming, that there will be enough moisture for them to survive growing, blooming and seeding. No fall rains, so, no flowers. No spring rains, no grasses. Even the desert trees are turning brown and dropping leaves. There will be no blooms on the prickly pear if there are no rains soon. It only takes a few good rains for the prickly pear cactus to rehydrate, and we have not even had poor rains. The powers that be are already talking about water rationing. Last year we had blooms everywhere. There were traffic problems on the interstates as people pulled off to the side to look at the flowers and take pictures of them. Last year was an El Nino year. This year is a La Nina year and that is usually a year of drought after a year of bloom. We are getting payback for the glorious spring we had last year. It is already in the 80s and the summer is suppose to be a killer. Hmm! This will be a good year to head up to the hills on the weekends. You bet.
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