Break in the Drought

Texas was very dry in 2011.  Record setting drought gripped the state.  This past winter we had some nice rains, and on my way to Big Bend I got rained on.  So when I arrived in west Texas it was on the tail end of some rain and I got to see hope that the drought might be ending.


The first thing I liked about passing through that rain was the clouds.  People do not realize that clouds make all the difference for photography and having some great clouds opened up some wonderful opportunities for images along the road as I went west.

Then finding water at various spots.  Water here is ephemeral and fleeting.  Dry is the norm and so fining water is a rare treat.


I saw the small puddle of water around a fence line and knew it had image potential.  Just a few inches deep and only a few yards long, it would probably be gone the next day.  A hint of the passing rain that became an interesting photo with the great cloud cover.  

Finally as I got closer to Marathon, the sky started to clear and I came across this seasonal playa.  I am not sure how long it had been here and how long it would last but this playa lake had already attracted passing ducks who were patrolling its surface.


Even this briefest of rains was bringing life and hope to this parched region.