Sedona's Sassy Senior

Greeting the dreaded monsoon

An opinion column by Willma Gore | Sedona.biz

Sedona, Arizona - When I first arrived in the Arizona’s Verde Valley in April 2004, my Phoenix son (from whom I rent) told me to expect monsoon weather “about mid July, lasting sometimes into September.”

Originally a Californian, I live in awe, but not terror of, earthquakes and fires; but tornados, monsoons, tsunamis, typhoons, and other evidences of nature’s wrath had not been of personal concern to me. The scenery here in Sedona was enough to make me love it and remain through “fire, famine or flood.”

I was not intimidated. I knew I could tie down the patio furniture, bring the patio plants inside and otherwise batten down the hatches. Son had said, “Monsoon weather brings high winds.”

“Will I have some warning?” I asked.

“Of course. You will have cumulus first.”

Son is a computer guru and speaks precisely on all subjects especially those Geek-related. I do not understand Geek. I have enough trouble with old-fashioned English. So I looked up “cumulus” in the dictionary and discovered cumulus clouds are what we non-monsoon-savvy Californians called “thunder clouds.”

From his Phoenix computer in early July, Son e-mailed: “Keep me informed of the weather there.” I knew he was being “nice to Mom,” making conversation. (It is a fact that Geeks learn the world-wide weather before the Satellite reports it. But unless you understand Geek, don’t ask how.)

As I packed up for the move here, I happily told another Super Adult (we don’t call ourselves “seniors”—too pejorative). She said, “You’re not moving to Arizona? They have monsoons! I’d rather be shaken up by earthquakes.”

Hmmm? So for my first monsoon season, all preparations were made by mid-July: windows closed against high winds, patio furniture and plants anchored or brought inside. With high cumulus on the horizon, I awaited my first deluge.

I was still waiting in mid-August. Yes, we’d had some high winds that brought all the pine needles in the Village of Oak Creek to my patio and a few nice cooling thundershowers--some of which actually dumped approximately three gallons of water on the dry walkways, but certainly did not obviate the need for watering the lawn.

Little has changed in my three–plus years here. As I look out on Bell Rock today, I see a few cumulus clouds (I’m learning proper terminology). The temperature gauge reads 90 degrees F. and I’m hoping for a real monsoon to cool us off if only for a few minutes. I suspect that the term “monsoon” is used by local natives to frighten us “outlanders.” Not me! I’m “on” to you. I plan to stay, and I really look forward to my first monsoon!