Cactus Flowers & Painted Lady Butterflies

  Yuma, Arizona, United States
Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Well . . I came to Arizona to take pictures of Cactus Flowers . . .

Jackstraw Bloom

 

Beaver Tail Blooms

I have gotten some decent photos  Ocatillo and now beaver tail cactus but the Saguaro have not bloomed and looks like it won't before I leave. The Teddy Bear is about to pop and I finally found 2 cactus (next to each other) today that had bloomed . . .

Teddy Bear Cholla

 

Red Barel Cactus

Sooooooo . . .I remind myself of the commercial that is running with the little boy swinging the bat at the ball and missing . .he keeps saying "I'm the greatest batter in the world". . .he misses 3 times . .but before the umpire screams "out" he gets a wonderful look on his face and the chears in his head start . .and he thinks. "I'm the greatest PITCHER in the world."

Many Cactus

 

Gus's Jeep on the hill

Castle Dome

 

Saguaro

 













And so goes the desert .... Due to over 3 inches of rain a the end of November, here in Yuma, I am getting some of the most beautiful desert FLOWER pictures in the world . . . even if I am going to strike out on the Saguaro flowers.

The Painted Lady butterflies are migrating from Mexico to Texas and beyond and they are so thick you cannot drive without having them splatter all over the car and windshield . . it is like something out of the movie "The Bees" or "The Ravens" . . I am amazed at how much those little critters must have to drink to keep their energy up in 98 degree heat . . . I took pictures of them until I got bored with them today .. . I cannot even imagine saying that . . but it is true . . .

Pale Flowers

 

Butterfly on Desert Sage

Apache Plume

 











Every time I get out of the Jeep to take a picture .. it seems I discover some other tiny blooming flower . . . or something . . doubling or tripling the reason to stop.

Thumb Peak

 

Jeeps on the run

The Blimp

 

Broken Saguaro

Another Peak

Hope you all enjoy the photos

Jackie Whedbee