Spreading Cactus

The rock in this hidden hanging canon was bright red and cream and arranged itself in great stacks and slabs. Slots were armed with cactus and thorned plants: making my way to the desert col, I felt like a miniature character navigating a maze of giant needles and tinted dice.

Winter rain brought incremental growth and precious blossoms. I could imagine this cactus in the summer heat – brittle, cranky in stasis – but when I saw it, it was swollen and nearly glowing with water. The celebratory look of this photograph reminds me of how little life really needs to flourish, and how rich we really are when we possess nothing at all.