The magic of the melt

In the Intermountain West sometime in Feb or March this magic happens.  One sunny day it's the melt.  The melt is when high in the desert or on a mountain plateau you can see melting happening all at once.  All the little tiny traces of creeks are running and running into the bigger ones.  EVERYTHING depends on water here and it's beautiful to see how carefully nature conserves and collects it.  I've seen stunning examples several times - once near Lakeview Oregon and once near Richland Oregon.  Several square miles just suddenly bursting with little rivulets.  Trees are pretty but I'm talking sagebrush and greasewood country I'm sure the melt is going on in the forest but in the high desert you don't have any trees but junipers to spoil your view.  We like our views big here I want to be able to see nearly 100 miles in any direction any day.  Since we have such low rainfall we do have sunshine about 280 days a year.  We're shedding our winter coats and gloves - my partner Sue Mio is reaching into her vast wardrobe and bringing out the pastels  - spring is starting and here in Eastern Oregon SW Idaho we are READY!