SWFeral Loc: SWNM

These peaceful images belie the power of our recent storms. We are emerging from a system that was sent our way courtesy of a tropical storm to the south, so rather than hard afternoon rain lasting an hour or so, we had rain for hours and hours, day and night, Friday through Sunday, and the landscape became so saturated that it could not hold another drop, so there was flooding.

Naturally I chose this weekend to go camping with a friend. We had to vacate our first campsite when the (formerly dry) creek between us and the road out began to flow and then rise rapidly. We thought we found a new spot on the safe side of things, but after I drove the friend's lovely and mannerly dog out for a hike to check on two trail cameras (a very stupid plan considering both cameras are situated along what is now a raging stream) and returned to the campsite, I saw that just beyond our vehicles the main road--the only road, rather--had become a lake, and it was impossible to tell how deep. Luckily a Forest Service pickup with fire insignia drove through the lake and I saw that the water was deep enough so that we needed to leave NOW, preferably an hour earlier.

These photos are from a couple of different areas, and I should point out that all except for the last two were taken before the serious rain began (those were taken during a brief lull), but basically right now everything is sodden and some places are under water. All the waterways, including the Gila River, which rose from a depth of six feet to over fifteen in a twenty-four hour period, are flooding; many roads are closed on and off. My hikes seem to be less like southwestern New Mexico and more like a rainforest, with everything overwhelmingly wet and green.

Here is some of the variety I have witnessed; I hope you enjoy these photos.

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luvmypets Loc: Born & raised Texan living in Fayetteville NC

Absolutely gorgeous photos!!! I love all of them!!! I really like the German Shepard photo! Beautiful dog! The owner should love it.

#1 and #10 are my favorites

Dodie

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

SWFeral Loc: SWNM

The owner does indeed love the photo; that is one photogenic dog. It helps that you can put her anywhere and tell her to stay put. I too like that poor bedraggled flower in the last photo; it looks as if it is trying to raise a sodden head to the sun. Thank you for looking.

SWFeral Loc: SWNM

Thanks.

lxu532 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

Stunning! Wow!

NMGal Loc: NE NM

Wonderful series. Beautiful dog and great perspective on the flower in the last one. We have flooding here too, but probably not on your scale.

SWFeral Loc: SWNM

Thank you. It is a pretty corner of the state, but it doesn't usually look quite like this!

SWFeral Loc: SWNM

She is a beautiful dog through and through. I don't know if you have those white flowers in your neck of the woods, but the nice thing about them is that you don't have to lie on the ground to get a photo of one!

Susan yamakawa

All are beautiful and are well taken.Rain does make everything beautiful

SWFeral Loc: SWNM

Oh, thank you. I got pretty wet myself, but it didn't make me beautiful. Seeing such beauty up close did my soul a world of good though. And of course the dog was a bonus.

Moondoggie Loc: Southern California

Beautiful series!

Irvingite Charles Loc: Irving, Tx

wham121736 Loc: Long Island, New York

The tenacity of the vegetation in the l/r of #8 will be required by all to repair the damage done by the flooding. Great shots in a difficult place and time.

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

Very nice set!