Just four short weeks ago, the desert was dry and everything was brown. Fires were a serious threat and the National Forests were closed. And then came the rain. We drove to the mountains on the edge of town today and I don’t think I’ve ever seen the desert so green. The valley looked unnatural, like it was covered in artificial turf. I probably say that every year. It is easy to get used to the sparse landscape in shades of dusty sage and brown. The vibrant greens and yellows that come after the rain are a shock to the system.

The kids and I took a picnic lunch to La Cueva and hiked around the big rocks. It has been years since our last trip there and it was a million times easier than I remembered. Last time, Echo had to be carried much of the way because he got too tired. This time I could hardly keep up with him!

The rock shelter was occupied as far back as 5,000 BC. The latest and most famous resident was Giovanni Maria Agostini, also known as “El Ermitano”… The Hermit. According to the brochure given out by the Bureau of Land Management, his friends were worried about him staying at La Cueva. Legend has it he replied “I shall make a fire in front of my cave every Friday evening while I shall be alive.  If the fire fails to appear, it will be because I have been killed. I shall bless you daily in my prayers.” Sure enough, the first time the fire wasn’t lit, he was found dead with a knife in his back. Read more about the history of La Cueva here.

La Cueva, 2008 on flickr: set | slideshow