There is no justice

Fairy Duster

There is no justice. One of the things that I loved about the Sonoran desert is wild flowers. Usually the sprinkle the desert in the spring. But not this year.This is the worst year for wild flowers in a long time. That is because it was the 4th driest year in Arizona more than a century. In particular the critical time for wild flowers here is Oct to December. If there is little rain then the plants will not produce flowers as they have to expend all of their energy on survival and have little left over for reproduction. Reproduction is of course the job of flowers.

Desert Globe Mallow

As a result I have been depressed at the startling lack of wild flowers. There have been some flowers, but very few. The worst wild flower season I have experienced in the desert.

 

Thank goodness there is one exception–cactuses. They are tough enough and resilient enough to survive and produce flowers even in a bad drought like this year. The only problem is that they have been slow in producing flowers. At least we have some. You just have to dance with the girl you brung. Of course in a bad year like this one, we must learn to cheat. Go to a place that waters their wild flowers. Are they still wild?

 

Strawberry Hedgehog Cactus

Hedgehog cactus is one of my favourites.  They have just recently started to bloom in the Sonoran Desert. Just as we were getting ready to leave.  Sometimes life sucks.  William Faulkner was right, “You can never catch up with injustice.”

 

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