The rain this week didn’t last long. A few hours, maybe a day of damp air and darkened soil—and then the desert returned to its usual calm. For most people, it was easy to miss. For desert landscapes, it was a starting gun. The rain this week didn’t last long. A few hours, maybe a day of damp air and darkened soil—and then the desert returned to its usual calm. For most people, it was easy to miss. For desert landscapes, it was a starting gun.