it started snowing just before i got into town on tuesday, and stopped sometime wednesday night. yesterday was clear brilliant sun, today more snow, and rain predicted for the weekend and possibly until tuesday next.


one of the most important elements of permaculture, especially in the desert, is water. systems are designed for "the big event," as my professor puts it - for the long drought or the big flood. well, we're in the middle of perhaps the worst drought in the recorded history of the southwest, and we've got several inches of precipitation on the ground with between four more and a foot due in the next week, onto ground that is already saturated, into waterways that are already swollen. in class next week, we're going to be visiting several of the most successful and famous places, groups and people in southwest permaculture, and everybody is pretty excited to walk around in the rain and not have to imagine what that cistern or catchment might look like if there happened to be water in it. there's a good chance that this will be more water than any of these systems have seen in a long time; maybe more at once than they've ever had. it'll be something to see.


and if i thought being in class for three days straight was tough, next week - from tuesday morning to saturday night - should be an adventure indeed. back on sunday to catch our breaths, then back out in the field monday until thursday. then our final project the next week (we're going to be permaculturifying the professor's property), and then ricocheting straight into spring quarter.


it's good to be back.