An Ode to Cacti

Oh look, some cacti enjoying the sunshine in Canyonlands.

For some reason, I have a small cactus obsession (not an obsession with small cacti, but an obsession with cacti that is not very extreme... yet).  It's kind of the same with succulents, but because really trendy things awaken some kind of "anti-mainstream" complex in me, I'm trying to keep a lid on that one.  Don't worry, I do have a few succulents, so I'm not totally depriving myself.  

I'm assuming I like cacti so much because, well, they weren't really around in Indiana, and seeing things in real life that I've only seen in pictures turns me into a child.  

Utah doesn't have those traditional fork-shaped cacti... those are further south and at lower elevation, but we do have a lot of prickly pear cacti.  Whenever I go hiking, I inevitably end up with one or two (or five or six) cactus pictures.  They are usually preceded by me shrieking "A CACTUS!" like a little girl and running over to it.  

One time, when we were out on a pictograph/petroglyph hunt, I meandered off the trail a little ways and Justin found me entranced in the middle of a little prickly pear forest.  

SO MANY CACTI

So, my apologies, this post is nothing more than an excuse for me to compile some of my cacti pictures and look at their cute little spiny selves.  I hope you enjoy them too.   

It's an extra-poofy cactus!

It's a cactus who overtook a plant!

This is not a cactus.  Just making sure you're paying attention.  And yuccas are nice too.

It's an extra spiky cactus!  I think this one's the "mojave" variety of prickly pear.

And finally... baby cacti!

Right now you're probably having some kind of "oh my gosh, this is Amber's sad life now" moment.  It's true.  I used to spend my time with lots of people, and now it's lots of cacti.  But really, people and cacti are not so different.  To really appreciate either of them, you have to find the beauty in all the spikes.