Charactus

I know we're not supposed to be anthropomorphic (yawn), but I can't think of any other plant that has so much sheer personality as the saguaro cactus, which populates the hills and desert round here. They do pretty much the whole range of human emotions, from cautious to belligerent, gregarious to cheeky. Take a look at these. (I love the thoughtful, slightly anxious mood of the one at the back of the last picture, just waiting to see what his livelier buddy in front is going to do.)

PS I had a dream in which a vulture plucked a rattlesnake from the ground and carried it off to its nest inside one of these cacti. How's that for total immersion in the local culture! And, no, don't tell me what it means. Let me enjoy it as it is.