THE OLD MAN IS SNORING....

"Huachuca" is translated as "thunder mountain."

And this evening is going to be one of those where this place lives up to its name.



Our monsoon season technically runs from June through September, but it hasn't rained for about a week, and many of us thought we were through with it.



The last few nights, we've had some lovely lightning shows, but no rain, and no thunder.

Then this afternoon, dark clouds began massing over Cananea and heading in our general direction, and this early evening the rain began coming down JUST as I was going out to feed my poor, lonely horse.

And it's just a little bit lovely to be snuggled inside a warm house when the temperature suddenly drops ten degrees and that chill rain begins to come down.




Although I must admit to wishing for some kind of volume control - this kind of thunder is literally shaking the house.

THUNDER AND LIGHTNING

Human reactions are very strange about certain things.

Why are we scared of thunder, when it can do nothing to hurt us?

Reaction to loud noises seems to be a built-in reaction, at least to judge from an infant's immediate screams when startled by a clamor.

But even as adults, we jump a foot and a half (at least I do) when the thunder crashes over our heads.

And it's even sillier that lightning, despite it's obvious danger, is so beautiful in form - we pour over photographs of it.

We're finally in our monsoon season here in southern Arizona, and as you have probably guessed by now, our afternoon clouds have moved in and are just beginning to drop their load on our mountains.

And I'm jumping.

And also oohing and ahhing.

FIRE IN THE SKY

Tonight I need an expert in nighttime photography to be right here.

The moon, partially covered by beautiful fluffy clouds, is setting over the mountains, while booms of thunder and flashes of lightning are appearing on every horizon.

And yet two-thirds of the sky is clear, beautiful stars that you can really only get when you are at 5,000 feet above sea-level and no light pollution for at least twenty miles.

It is SURREAL.