Here in Arizona one might think the umbrella is a totally useless piece of junk cluttering up a closet. Most of the time I’d be inclined to agree but there are definitely times during the year when we are truly in need of a sturdy working umbrella.
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| You like our early seventies tile? Hot right? |
Monsoon season is just around the corner and I don’t know about you but I’d prefer not to get stuck out walking across the mall parking lot or something when this is coming down.
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| On the road back from Tucson, yes that is a line of rain. |
The winds before it are what bring in stuff like this.
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| It was right about this moment Matt asked what I was thinking getting out to take pictures. |
And then usually, if we’re very lucky, the rain, thunder, and lightning are close behind. That’s what makes stuff like this happen.
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| Very early but same pattern. April of this year. |
It’s raining mud! (You should’ve seen Matt’s car just from his drive home.) But despite the gross factor of the falling clay, the rain brings the temperature back down from the 110+ range to something more reasonable like 95. Trust me in the middle of July in Phoenix 95 does feel cool.
Lots of people here use their umbrellas in the middle of the day too. That sun can really beat down on you and an umbrella will keep those dangerous rays from sneaking under your skin to cause any permanent damage. Plus you won’t go ruining your white T-shirts with cheap sunscreen stains.
Which is the primary reason I just picked up some bleach this week. It isn’t my preferred method, not as environmentally friendly as I’d like it to be but certainly effective. And it helps me from purchasing more new white clothing which probably has a bigger impact to produce than my small bit of bleach going down the drain.
At least I’m going with that tradeoff for now.
Anyway, as far as the umbrella goes, I’m really posting the picture today for my mom because we talked weeks ago about u is for umbrella and I didn’t want to let her down.
How else can we stay dry during these summer months in the desert.
All photos taken by me
Posted for April 2013 A to Z Blog Challenge U is for Useless
17 comments:
An umbrella is certainly a useful thing to have handy rain or shine. I keep one in the car and one in the house and of course the big beach one, with the Summer things. We live in southern New Brunswick, on the East coast of Canada. We get lots of rain!! Great 'U' post and glad you didn't let your Mom down.
Kathy at Oak Lawn Images
amazing! who would have thunk that an umbrella would be needed in Arizona! Nice pics of the storm - that red sky is really something.
Stay dry and have a great day!
Hee, hee! Thanks for the umbrella pic in this "useless" post!
Don't be surprised if I do the same!!!
Love you, Mum
Every place has it's crazy weather doesn't it... not sure I could handle heat in the 110 degree range... I might melt into a puddle... lol...
Love those pictures! My umbrella is usually in the trunk of my car when I need one to get TO my car.
Kathy @ Swagger Writers
Truth be told, we're likely to encounter -40C (or -40F) than 104F (which is 40C). Which is great for a Bear wearing a permanent fur coat. Though I usually hibernate through the -40 weather.
So, be cool, but stay warm. And dry.
Blessings and Bear hugs!
Bears Noting
I didn't know they had monsoons in Arizona...? Great pictures, I love when the sky goes all funky right before a huge storm.
I don't leave the house without a parasol in summer. 'Tis a lovely thing to have, and a necessity as well if you wish to remain deathly pale. :D
When I lived in Boston I had an umbrella, windshield scraper, beach chairs and a poncho in my trunk because you really never knew what would happen with the weather. Now in Phoenix I only have a bottle of water and reusable shopping bags in my trunk. An umbrella wouldn't be a bad idea though I guess!
That was about a block from our house and we made it into the garage just as it hit our house. Not a bad one really but the sky color sure was amazing!
I loved your post! Looked eerily familiar lol love you!
Luckily those extreme temps only hang around a couple weeks, just like extreme lows in winter some places, but yeah, I stay inside most of the time during those weeks! And I love the heat. That's just really effing hot!
Murphy's Law right? :-)
Hey Kathy can you share your link? Can't get to your blog because I'm not on G+ & I'd love to check it out!
I guess our climates are about as polar opposite as possible huh? Thanks so much!
Yeah here in the valley and Tucson area as well get some pretty extreme thunder/rain/wind storms which technically qualify as monsoon in certain circumstances. The rains are great but infrequent here in Phoenix.
It rains mud in Arizona? Who knew?!! Great pictures!
Right? The most common misconceptions about the state - it never rains and its always hot everywhere. Yup, we get winter too :-)
Hmm I was in AZ Feb-April so I got lucky and missed the main onslaught of heat, before moving back home. I have to say, though, Arizonians are the worse drivers in the rain. Even if sprinkling it seemed like people were crashing all over the place lol
Those were some awesome pictures, and I appreciate you risking your life to get out of the car to take them! Ha :) Become a storm chaser! I think that would be a ton of fun.
Also, I never use umbrellas :)
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