We had a fine time in the desert where, improbably, it was raining.
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That's the big Marilyn statue on Palm Canyon Drive, as seen from the car.
Downtown Palm Springs has its charms, but we come for a different set of charms.
![IMG_0180](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uNiddJKTVZqRp8d1vljVF_apnMEP6FeZ8BuTZAcoBiEedFPca433oZEhsg1gEOMxFXSlHZjuQtIgIROeaLZLEdNPVhEzm_dL0Dq7bjedRHcmsN1vV1d3gtAy6E_Jkw=s0-d)
When did Coachella Valley burn? Couldn't have been too long ago.
![IMG_0178](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sndocrVe0T1ffFDeiW6wLq85vWFUzo4XCqp0qlWWN_biSi6EwIywqnd0REs5jDdyRDtyNwGcAi0Ku4xZ2GaQbNi2urVpWX8Xa7nmIAHDve5MTI_517QbdwEdAzwonB=s0-d)
![IMG_0204](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vbC7k7wOzV25muTO2BabhIL_LqXNtT4oO_AQhHYzHkGjXoIkpp5xffP2678-GXHt2geIegC4SiyDrlqa6MfmXPdz2GU_-ZU3V3kIeDVaVh6vPEVwhViooHrRDSO-f5cw=s0-d)
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I rather like the visual effect on the landscape. At least for picture taking. The feeling is different if you live here, I suppose.
![IMG_0188](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_torAM8KT1wMdcRyi5ugPZFKBPQ0NZ1sePpncEjajdg9yMuXlMHlLClWa8IZnPBfhEujQrRbZJyPPEESs942gopSnPOk6e_mCF52j8ygxVeNIIg0UQoXwIdrxegVy3Org=s0-d)
Does any of this look familiar?
![IMG_0192](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uMTIgOjCWTponEHib9aKi8Ch4FUVXKYt-_eUJmqthd3L7bi4aOzzXSGTW4uV3lfQIrqtzKFqwdiz_onfRzysgVSjWuf36-LZfpuRvaqVfQ7HWU4CGG3tlPGGaKRwHbZg=s0-d)
I'm fairly certain I commented on this exact ocotillo the last time I was here, just about 2 years ago.
![IMG_0194](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vgrEKKxdlKn0s0yIYOw1LB14KzJJcpLV62k1gWHgOtWYQjNuv7j0ZY1OhIcFt2CZuIddckTlyJmTCYTB0T2J6IsToZSrGl-BaGWvlKserRKjl2T-Hzf4JnMmM12ZQC=s0-d)
It was sunny and warm, with blue skies then. This time was as if Mother Nature had trans-located San Francisco's moody coastal weather to Palm Springs. Wet, foggy, not exactly cold, but definitely not warm. That's okay. It was a thrill to see the desert in the rain. The ducks in the oasis had no complaints.
![IMG_0210](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_v4MEz-spqj1oFkL4ztLRoaJdO-dpwuWEu-Pn6o0648Tb9I0G_bYNf45pa5FfzJjLbjFl3SPm-fhsP4uw0yeSbKXErJrKUl7RRaoxwvz5Ytl513sdqDzQtRzzRdPj0A7g=s0-d)
Besides. California's natural history is all about rain after fire.
![IMG_0218](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vHFv5DhGgPZ19suBZLXGGZ57qAD5bBYwKoX17KqRuAEmuzSwxPtjx9kFt04bQ24FojYiN2A51fD-o1XqVbNyk9_GOuzXor8KbvJJz2AOv1ftVkPlgd8JN3BHe6AdVcRw=s0-d)
![IMG_0229](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uhbq9iDrFD6AbpFrJA4yq5agUAxjytieiFUXSqZrlFPjPU-vOdz0RMC4nCKxvnvUqo_zJV1al-65sjoZ-17Uyvj1W1R9fQOMZ7VX5iIhGUBHXgwbNbnEEdsBs4xv4wYw=s0-d)
![IMG_0232](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tdDuqmOherPFv4vnBf3oF6-6oFbtVEmmKcjNJPGOHUvoM5vK2eerH9FbFGAPJW6x9ZqCj_AKDRs2rc-T_3hvKHATvsc05-3yGU7hjBjjgXA17nprNFP5UdDEyHCPT8=s0-d)
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![IMG_0295](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_t8hGbgv_spO1iTRgS7izMqwyTsVpTI90j8qdNcirirDqt98k_S7kg0cq_Zl3uXjT5689M1ib3K1fevM9DnZDiURaVZA2oBipFlTMnYHwzHVmta95Iu3NMxTvSdk4xdTw=s0-d)
![IMG_0300](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uH7VuxE50VrssSWW3LttQHQblicE0EYIkvh3aSc7VTpZB4cFKSFLFSqcmJA23cY6wYwcEJA0iE4fpN98cbHpC9tPahLd-yoEUQFs6-YoQjodyU7LfYrsv1ff0MXlYR=s0-d)
![IMG_0303](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_s8MuZp0CrCeWOH6OlF2boPeKH-jpxjtTw6OnTpxXlpZ_EmaqXgjC6DLDsMi3wU-EMLj6dTXTHBqn4u7b7Sc4INC6T818DXWYbMahz4wZnpUADqGcdh4-BcjpS7P_6sxw=s0-d)
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![IMG_0317](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sbvX7KX55Uje8uR-AZDRthJIACfEvxlFLNcPGJlriH2WENybBm9XOfV-UMJWKI2Ed-6hEneMviXWxWUEkc7iHY4qXKKhobS0DHIH6IsgQwQiO88x9wmQMNpMDDfjDf=s0-d)
![IMG_0323](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uu0Wou8VcsEB0DuxsbutdQKZj9a2BFY9H5MhEbBHJiebKAUkRWTQmMntuFjl-7DucgTQMrYLMJ7tDVkUjleyNI3NgjnwAYg26zZi2KPuG_y5TPSr1J35GnCYub1m2Ujw=s0-d)
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That's the big Marilyn statue on Palm Canyon Drive, as seen from the car.
Downtown Palm Springs has its charms, but we come for a different set of charms.
When did Coachella Valley burn? Couldn't have been too long ago.
I rather like the visual effect on the landscape. At least for picture taking. The feeling is different if you live here, I suppose.
Does any of this look familiar?
I'm fairly certain I commented on this exact ocotillo the last time I was here, just about 2 years ago.
It was sunny and warm, with blue skies then. This time was as if Mother Nature had trans-located San Francisco's moody coastal weather to Palm Springs. Wet, foggy, not exactly cold, but definitely not warm. That's okay. It was a thrill to see the desert in the rain. The ducks in the oasis had no complaints.
Besides. California's natural history is all about rain after fire.