The Winter Floods in the Verde Valley, Arizona

People think of Arizona as the desert and it is usually sunny, but when it rains, it can really rain and in the Verde Valley that means flooding.  We have had quite a few days of rain so the creeks and rivers have risen.  This morning I took a picture of ducks in a tree above Oak Creek who are probably confused as to why the placid creek has become a torrent of muddy water and fast moving logs and other debris!

In our community we have two creeks, Oak and Spring Creeks which went way beyond their banks in the past few days.  Our hiking trails are flooded and even walking bridges have been relocated by the powerful rushing rivers!  It is a good reminder of how powerful water can be.

The following series were created from photos taken this morning.  Happy Holidays to All!  There is a surprising amount of color in nature for such a dreary rainy day.  Red or pinkish soils, brown water, green grasses, and many other colors shine through the kaleidoscopes!

ducks on a tree

The turtle made of debris

Above the flood waters

the poor bridge

floodwaters and winter's lack of foliage

Flood and Aftermath Return of Spring in Arizona

The flood on Oak and Spring Creeks came and went this past week, but what a difference in the land surrounding the creeks.  At the same time as we got our 4 inch rain the fruit trees were becoming showy and the leaves on the Cottonwoods are beginning to green.  It was an exciting week to observe the changes.  Some of the sand dunes and charred wood came from Oak Creek Canyon above Sedona where they had a bad fire last May called the Slide Fire.

Great flood sculptures have been created by the wood debris.  The green is very bright right now, bit the grass and the leaves that are beginning to pop out.

2013 A New Year and Clean Slate Day

I was speaking with a friend about how New Year's was one of my favorite holidays since you get to start over again with all your resolutions and she named it "Clean Slate Day".  So to celebrate this day, I have 2 kaleidoscopes for your viewing pleasure.

One was created from a photo taken just down the street yesterday morning when we he had a dusting of snow on Spring Creek. I have to say that I love that my experiences with snow in Arizona are usually of snows measuring less than 3 inches which is great!  The second kaleidoscope was taken at the Page Springs fish hatchery where they had many four wing saltbush shrubs which were the subject of the second kaleidoscope.

Spring Creek Snowfall

Four Wing Saltbush

Michael started the new year right by teaching today.  Make your plans for taking a plein air workshop in  Sedona or Campobello Island, Grand Manan Island, or St Andrews by the Sea, NB now!  

Michael Chesley Johnson Plein Air Workshops

Our House for Sale, Santa Fe, and my New Fabric

As I walk around our community, I am mindful that we may be relocating to Santa Fe next winter so I am going to document our natural area in kaleidoscopes this winter.  For artistic income and the possibility that I could get a meaningful job in New Mexico, we are searching for a new house.

Anyone interested in a great house in a great community:  http://sedonahomeforsale.blogspot.com/ or zillow:  http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/10680-E-Oak-Creek-Valley-Dr-Cornville-AZ-86325/2135977500_zpid/  

Here are the kaleidoscopes for the week.  They are all from photographs I took of the Spring Creek Trail which is a short 2 blocks from my house!  It is amazing the variety of colors we get in our AZ fall and winter seasons.  It helps to have blue skies, brown leaves and bare limbs, and green and brown grasses all at the same time!

My kaleidoscopes in fabric are now available:  http://www.spoonflower.com/collections/37457  I have started with 30 designs, but plan to expand if I sell any!