"Acqua Caliente Park always a welcome relief"

While southern Arizona has wonderful weather for a good portion of the year, the summers here can be a little bit overwhelming in terms of extreme heat. That is one reason why Tucsonians welcome the summer monsoons which help to not only lower daily temperatures but also to bring our region much needed rainfall.

Yesterday, we did have one of those torrential rainfalls that are so characteristic of the monsoons. The rain came down in droves, and very quickly our washes became raging rivers across town. Then the rains stopped, the sun came out, and I found it to be a good time to visit Aqua Caliente Park.

This park of 101 acres is truly an oasis in the middle of the desert. The park sits on top of a natural spring and features ponds that have an exceptionally rich mix of plants and wildlife. Many wetland birds, songbirds, hummingbirds and raptors nest in the park. Bird watching is best done in early morning.

As you can see from my photos, this is truly a remarkable site. Who would have ever imagained such a park with palm trees in the middle of the Sonoran desert!