calling all saguaro

I wrote about this amazing cactus not long after we first moved here. You can read about that post by clicking here. They are pretty crazy looking giants, each one different from the rest. When you think about the fact that they are usually 75 years old before they sprout their first arm, it's hard to imagine how old some of these must be. If you want to read more about the saguaro, you can do so here.  They are abundant in this area where we live. Some of these pictures you may have seen before and some of them are new to the photo gallery. You can see just how different and unique each one really is. Sometimes, along the horizon, they look like a row of telephone poles lined up along the highway.

I just took this photo yesterday and when I uploaded it I actually thought, "hey, it looks like there are some fall colors in the desert!" The changes are so subtle and plants bloom through every season that it is hard to recognize a fall color explosion that we are used to. But, I see it, I see it!

This one has all of its 'shortish' arms clustered at the top.

Whereas this guy has a whole bunch of really long arms.

It seems this one is a bit young as it is just sprouting its first arm.

"Hello. I said hello up there."

Looking pretty stately.

And then there are some that are tangled and entwined with each other.

Here is another one. It looks like one just jumped on the other to hitch a ride across the desert.

This one has some holes that the woodpeckers make to nest inside. Other birds take over and use the deserted nests. A place they can call home.

You might remember this unusual one below from our walk last winter after the big snowstorm. It looks like an open hand reaching up to the sky.

Here is another with a lot of tangled arms. It is as if they couldn't decide which way they wanted to grow.

See, here is the same one from further away. It is huge! And look at the arm that stretches down and grows along the ground.

This has a lot of smaller arm buds sprouting off the long arms that reach straight up.

And a cluster of these grand cacti in the shadow of the setting sun.

Okay, so there is something a little phony about one of these saguaro in all the above pictures. Did you notice anything unusual?  Look at them again.

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The one that the birds can "call" home. Ha. 

I told you there was something phony. In fact...it is phony.  It is not a real cactus at all. It is a cell tower. Yep, they disguise them to blend in with the 'natural' landscape.  Even the rock to the right is artificial. It must be hiding something, but I'm not sure what. This cactus tower is a new one just up the street from us. In fact, they have installed quite a few in the area. We should have better service from now on.

Like I said. Calling all saguaro...

Can you hear me now?