The Wheel of Time
Bozeman, Montana
2020

We bought this old wagon wheel at a farm auction back in about 1983. It’s been leaning against this tree behind our house ever since. It was pretty old even then but it still looks pretty good in spite of being outside in the weather for the last 37 years. I’m not sure I’ve aged as gracefully as it has, and I’ve spent a lot of my life indoors. (A sure sign of my old age is my declining ability to find much humor in late season snowfalls such as this one which occurred on May 11.)

As if Covid-19 Wasn’t Enough to Worry About
Black’s Ford, Montana
2020

Knuckle Sandwich
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona
2020

Your Loving Arms
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona
2020

A mother and child saguaro cactus reach for each other. I went to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument to see the namesake cactus which grows in abundance there, but not around Tucson where I used to live among the saguaro. The organ pipe are impressive, but for my money, the saguaro still take the prize for ruler of all cacti in the Sonoran desert.

Teddy Bear Cholla
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona
2020

A.K.A. Cylindropuntia bigelovii, the teddy bear cholla, is arguably the Sonoran Desert’s most attractive nuisance. It’s also known as jumping cholla for good reason. It seems you just have to look crosswise at one and a section, known as a joint, will stick to your clothes or skin. When I lived in Tucson many years ago, I pulled many a cholla joint from my dogs and the occasional friend as well.

Sawtooth Agave #9
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona
2020

Sawtooth Agave #8
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona
2020

If you ever needed a pictorial representation of the word “desiccation,” this would be a great choice.

Like Peeling a Banana
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona
2020

A slowly decaying saguaro cactus.

Pencil Envy
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona
2020

If I could draw worth a hoot, this is the kind of pencil sketch I would like to be able to make. Instead I have to settle with messing around with Photoshop to achieve a similar result with one of my photos.

Impenetrable #2
Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Arizona
2020