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Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Saguaro National Park Ranger Tour

Eric and I join a Ranger Led Tour to get an insider's view of Saguaro National Park.








This acacia shrub is in
the legume family.












It has red bean pods.






I have a thing for dead
trees.

I think they are beautiful.



















The hole in the upper left
of the embankment is
a pack rat's nest.










The lines on it swirl.









This amazing cactus germinates
on top of the ground & are
sheltered by a "nurse tree."










This is a dried slice from
a saguaro cacti.






The saguaro is the cactus that
cowboys in the movies hack
open & drink water from
with ease.

Water is found in the flesh of 
the saguaro.

It is acidic & will make you 
sick if you drink enough to
quench your thirst.





The droopy "arms" on this saguaro are the results of cold weather around 20 degrees Fahrenheit for an extended period of time.











Eric goes in for a hug
with a saguaro.














The ranger shows the group a
saguaro with many, many arms.





It was damaged fairly early
in it's development, but
instead of shriveling &
dying off, new buds formed
which eventually became arms.


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