Heaven

 Those quirky, almost-symmetrical arms set my heart to racing.

Pleats allow the cactus to expand in order to store water during the rainy season. Plus, they photograph adorably in the late afternoon sun.

Saguaro without arms are called spears. Saguaros with new arms are called darling. 

Old saguaros eventually weather, decay and fall to the ground where their dried remains decorate the desert floor.

To me, the saguaro silhouette looks strangely human, and these specimens seem to be circling together in a dance. Or I could be dehydrated and slightly hallucinating.

Imagine a warm breeze, bird song, and the sweet smell of the desert as the sun sinks low. 

Driving among the saguaro in the late afternoon feels like living in a dream.

The sky is a tapestry of wispy white clouds.
Mountains ring the desert basin with jagged teeth..
Saguaros erupt from the rocky soil and shoot to the sky.

The surreal beauty of this natural paradise is like no other place on earth.

And while I may try, I readily admit that I have no words to describe this majesty.

Heaven must be something like this.

* * * * *

I've been lucky enough to visit the Sonoran Desert and the magical cacti who live there. Read more about my adventures:

A Two-Day Trip To Tucson In Three Acts

Among The Saguaro

Among The Giants

Heaven

Desert Blooms

Good Advice

Reading About The Desert