Monday, July 19, 2021

And then you jump...

One of my brothers moved to Phoenix, back in 2000 I think it was. We were both living in Spokane at the time, I was horribly sad to see him go—and a little jealous. I'd escaped to Seattle in the early 1990's, but then moved back to Spokane because I missed my family, and I was tired of working so hard to just barely be making it. I wanted to own a home and that was possible in Spokane, even if it meant leaving Zone 8 for Zone 5/6 (depending). Prior to his move I'd spent time in the Phoenix area for work and loved the climate and plant life there, so I couldn't wait to visit him. 

Anyway, that's the backstory. In my memory, on my first visit, after he picked me up at the airport he drove us to a vacant lot he'd discovered that was full of Cholla just like these...

We marveled at their exotic beauty, two kids from Eastern Washington. Then he told me about their reputation for jumping, sure enough before we got back in the car we both had pieces attached to our legs, despite walking very carefully through the plants.

I haven't been to Arizona since 2018. I cannot wait to go back! Also, I don't remember how I came to own this old post card, it's not one that Andrew gave me. It's a mystery...

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All material © 2009-2021 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

13 comments:

  1. How fun! I don't remember learning about this jumping cactus during trips to Arizona. My favorite destination in Arizona is Sedona, which is so different from the Phoenix area and so different from beautiful Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon area. It's a beautiful state, with such a diversity of fascinating ecosystems, weather types, plants, and planting zones. I had no idea of this diversity until one of our recent trips through the state.

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    1. You are so right! Just like everyone things WA and OR are nothing but rain forests (where as the entire eastern half of both states are dry almost desert-like) people miss all the different beauty that AZ has.

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  2. You are definitely due for another visit to AZ, maybe soon after that cast comes off (could be a wonderful B-day gift to yourself). Fantastic view in this postcard... imagine it being your back yard.

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    1. If that was our backyard Andrew would never go outside! ;)

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  3. Have never been much of a desert person having grown up in Vancouver but seeing all the cool plants that thrive there I can see it's attractions now. Hopefully you will be able to visit the state and your brother soon. Just don't get mugged by the chola.

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    1. "mugged by the cholla" paints such a picture!

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  4. I know how much you love Arizona. I hope it'll happen for you sooner than later. And I hope that SOME DAY we'll be there at the same time. That would be so much fun.

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    1. Wouldn't it? Dangerous too...

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    2. That would be really great if you both were here in Phoenix for a visit sometime! I would love to meet up with you! Maybe at the Desert Botanical Garden!

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  5. I like hearing more of your backstory!

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  6. I've heard the story of cholla's jumping behavior but never experienced it for myself but then I've also never been surrounded by them as densely packed as shown in the postcard photo either.

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    1. It's pretty much impossible to avoid them when they're that dense.

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