a river runs through it (the desert, that is)

Remember how I posted about the Whitewater River, tucked up in that lovely reserve, all those flowers?  The river isn't just in the foothills, however.  It runs to the Salton Sea, though as I understand it, all too often any waters that make it as far as, oh, Palm Springs sink into the porous soil of the valley and end of flowing through the ground or just soaking in spot.

The generous snows atop the mountains this year have had an impressive effect, however.  The river is flowing and flowing, and so it is that it is sliding through the arroyo just blocks from the Rancho Mirage house.

Conrad and I took Olive down walking that way this morning and climbed down close to the river.  Conrad even dipped his hand in it, but I kept the little girl away so as not to muddy her paws.  The arroyo is normally the domain of private golf courses and driving ranges, but not these days.

I caught a few photos because I don't know when we'll see something like this again.  Oh, we've seen water down there on occasion as the outflow from a particularly good rain, but this?  No, not this.  In the one shot, looking toward the mountains, the near mountain (San Jacinto) contributes, but it's the far and taller mountain (San Gorgonio) that is the source of the stream waters. 

More snow up there still despite the recent heat, and so I expect and hope to see this river flowing again when I come back next weekend for a last few days in the house before the sale closes.