An encounter during the earlier portion of my recent trek to the summit of Wasson Peak, west of Tucson.
Depicted is one limb ("arm") of a rather sturdy and grand Saguaro, this one standing perhaps twenty-to-twenty-five feet tall. On the tip here reside what will soon become blossoms of the Arizona State Flower; they only bloom at night and are primarily pollinated by bats.
I have loved the majesty and grace of these huge cacti since my childhood (we had one growing in our back yard).
I've grown older I've come to appreciate the combination of their pointedly formidable exterior, their astounding strength and subtle flexibility under harsh conditions (the >70mph winds which persistently nearly blew me over on my hike didn't faze these entities in the least) . . . and their stoic and vulnerable foundation in their desert home.
Warriors of the Light, perhaps, à la Paulo Coelho.
Saguaro Limb, #2976-7D;
© 2013 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.
(click image for larger version)
Details: April 8, 2013, Canon 7D; f/8 @ 1/400 sec; ±0 EV; ISO 500;
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM @ 140mm
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