what is worse than a cactus in your foot?

One in your throat.

These little cacti volunteer themselves to grow just about anywhere. Do I dare say they come up like weeds? Almost. We find them in the most random places. Like, the gravel walk path. Or, potted plants. The bottom of your foot. Ouch. In my throat. Ok, not literally. But, the sore throat that I had on saturday felt as though I had one stuck in there. What's worse than a summer or winter cold? An autumn cold. Even though it still feels like summer, I feel like it is a cold day in the middle of winter. Complete with the cactus in the throat and everything else that goes along with a whopper of a virus. Enough about the cold, I'll live, but it did give me a chance to compare a cactus to a sore throat!

 These little guys are quite cute and somewhat tiny. This one is about an inch tall in this photo.

Last summer, I plucked one out and stuck it in a pot of soil. I figured it would grow, but I had no idea how big it would get in such a short amount of time! It already looks a little silly in this pot. Perhaps it is time to stick it back in the ground somewhere. However, you need gloves of steel to get anywhere near these bad boys.

And, like I said, they pop up everywhere! This one can't decide what it wants to do. 

Ok. What is worse than feeling like you have a cactus in your throat?

Having one in your foot!

Yes, she was wearing sandals. Evidently, these are some kind of crazy cactus that we have heard jump up at you and stick themselves into your innocent flesh. When we first moved here, I was told to carry a small black men's comb with me whenever I went out walking or hiking... or something like that. Because, (I was warned) these cactus balls will leap out and poke themselves into you. The only way to get them out is to use the comb to gently "comb" yank it out. The comb teeth will grab it and save your fingers from further stabbing. While the girl was having a heck-of-a-time trying to get this painful thing out of her heel, I was recalling that little bit of Arizona Survival advice I had been given and was wishing I had listened. Well, you know, I do listen...

 1. Get a laser pistol for the rattle snakes.
 2. Wear closed toe shoes.
 3. Carry a small black comb with you.
 4. Don't pull weeds without looking and probe with a stick in said weeds first.
 5. Get a big dog.
 6. Get big dog rattle snake trained.
 7. Jump in the pool if a Gila monster has latched on and won't let go. (However, I see a problem with this one as the venom that they release while chewing is a neurotoxin which I think would render one defenseless in a pool. Especially the deep end).
 8. Put the four legs of your bed in buckets of water so the scorpions can't crawl up.
 9. Always check your bed (and shoes) for scorpions.
10. Carry oven mitts with you for the hot car handles and steering wheel.
11. Don't feed the bob cats.
12. Be sure you can out-run a Javelina.

Like I said, I listen, I just haven't completely acted on that advice.