Monday, May 3, 2010

Cactus Monday: In Bloom

There are more blooms and explosions of color here in the desert than I expected, and that makes me happy.  This is a wild cactus of some variety I found in South Mountain Park, with a pretty yellow flower.  Upon leaving the path to get a good macro shot of this cactus, I discovered that my jeans were COVERED in tiny cactus needles up to my knees!  Everything around here has thorns.  Even of the grass-like variety!  They have hooks on the tips that latched on my clothes and were proven tough to get out.  Looking back at this incident last week, it makes me laugh.  But I was a pretty grouchy girl that day, covered in pricklies!  Lesson 1 learned, beware of desert brush. . . it bites! 

9 comments:

Margaret Ann said...

LOL...Only because I know firsthand of what you are writing! Your photo is of a plant known as a "teddy bear cholla" (because it appears so soft) but is often called a "jumping cholla" because a mere brush with it send clumps of princklies straight to the disturbance...usually a body part! Consider yourself now baptized in the desert! The very same thing happen to me on one of my very first desert photo excursions...wearing jeans and teva sandals! The prickles went right through the denim fabric and embedded themselves into my leg...and my sandals...UGH! another story for another day!!! I have learned my lesson also! LOL :)

Have a prickly free day! Happy Cactus Monday!

Cynthia DiBlasi - Fine Art said...

LOL!!!! That just made my day Margaret! Who knew, right? Well. . . I KNOW now! Come to think of it, it was the softness and cuteness of that little teddy bear cholla that lured me to it. May today be prickly free to you too! ;-)

Julie said...

I see Margarent already talked about the cholla cactus. I was gonna ask if that was what it was. I did see a video on how to get them out the easiest way...I will look for it and if I find it, will deliver it here for you to view!

I absolutely LOVE the yellow cactus blooms...they are just gorgeous!!! This is a purdy little shot! Happy Cactus Monday!

Julie said...

Here was the one I saw, Cynthia...although I'm sure there are many! This guy is funny!
Cholla video.

Cynthia DiBlasi - Fine Art said...

Thanks for sharing that Julie! That was pretty informative and entertaining. Much like my photo excursion, LOL! I knew you cactus Monday ladies would know exactly what kind of cactus that was. :)

Unknown said...

HCM Cynthia! A lovely flower and photos. Lots of adventures.... :)

Teri said...

I have also been there, I knelt right on a cactus and my husband spent a lot of time pulling thorns out of my leg. I think it must happen to everyone as a welcome to the desert. lol

Lovely photo.

I finally ave my Internet provider up and rnning..thank goodness.

❤HCM❤

Leslie said...

Great shot - this is one of my favorites because of the multi-colored petals. And yes, one does learn how to be careful when hanging out with a cactus - they're sneaky!

jyothisethu said...

cynthia,
the 'pain' gave a great result...
congrats...