A Walk in the Park

This past week there was more progress on the house next door than in our house.  We pulled out some carpet... and painted a few rooms.

It's nice to have the sidewalk completed on Friday.  As one man works...

the other is taking a break in the window ledge.  Concrete work is hard work, right?

Shirley also was doing some pretty hard work this week... painting ceilings gave her a stiff neck.  So she stopped for a Mexican style break.

This morning Lorne joined us for a easy hike at Saguaro National Park.  The stately Saguaro cactus is only part of the amazing desert vegetation.

The Cholla cactus is also plentiful in this area.

Up close are thousands of sharp prickly needles... kind of pretty as long as you don't get too close.

Shirley is checking out this Barrel cactus.

It will be very pretty to see this cactus in full bloom.

The majesty of the might Saguaro is a sight to behold.  I asked Lorne and Shirley to stand by this one just to give an idea of the size of this cactus.

Did you know that the accordion exterior of the Saguaro expands and contracts thru the year as it stores water to carry it thru the dry months?  We watched a 15 minute film at the Park Visitor Centre... and that was where I learned this interesting tidbit.

We encountered a man riding his horse... and later these girls were enjoying a ride thru the park.  Lorne asked if the horses ever got into the cactus.  One girl said it doesn't happen very often, but she carries a pair of pliers to remove the needles when it does.

Lorne is checking out a dead Saguaro.  Nothing lasts forever... and it is interesting to see the skeleton of the old dead cactus... part on the ground... part still standing.

Just like with people, there are no two cactus the same.  They all are different shapes and sizes and have a personality all of their own.  Shirley called this one the prodigal son...

and this one the elder brother.   But I told her that creative one was the "Twisted Sister!"

As we were leaving the park we saw these people climbing up among the rocks.  It was a perfect day to take a walk in the park.

For us it was a treat to spend some time in a desert park and see a completely different environment than we have back on Mayne Island... and to only get one tiny needle in my shoe was not bad for the day.

"Roses may say "I love you," but the cactus says "Fuck off.""
-Jarod Kintz, Seriously delirious, but not at all serious