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Canon Image Challenge | all galleries >> CIC178 Rock `n Roll...The Rolling Stones, Song Titles & Lyrics >> CIC 178 Eligible > Summer Romance
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17-MAY-2018 jimmsp

Summer Romance

Quail Creek, AZ

These Saguaro flowers don't bloom until the middle of May when it starts to get warm.
They only bloom for a couple of days. The bees come in to visit all the fresh flowers.


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Canon Image Challenge21-May-2018 11:46
Great job of getting those colors looking so rich and vibrant. And when Jim says they get pretty tall he isn’t kidding, it would take all of that 200 mm and some cropping at 40+ feet. If you think about it that’s the height of basic telephone/power pole. Those cacti simply fascinate me. Paul.
Canon Image Challenge20-May-2018 23:39
Dave - there is a wide variety of cactus with flowers. I think the honey bees go after them all. The prickly pear cactus has a lot of flowers, and after the flowers dies off, the fruit is often turned into jelly. That is pretty good on crackers with cream cheese.

I have never had the honey. See https://www.amazon.com/Cheris-Prickly-Pear-Cactus-Honey/dp/B000N56UII
But I would guess it is pretty good with a distinctive taste.

Jim
Canon Image Challenge20-May-2018 23:34
Traveller - thanks. Almost all of the saguaros are pretty tall when they bloom, and most of the flowers are near the top. Occasionally some of the arms get flowers. When I went out to shoot these I wanted some pretty straight on, which I found. I also wanted some against the blue sky - like this one. I preferred this angle, where I was standing with a reasonably tall cactus whose base was lower than my feet - so I was looking up, but not at a huge angle.

Jim
Canon Image Challenge20-May-2018 22:53
I find myself wondering how cactus honey tastes.

Dave
Canon Image Challenge20-May-2018 20:08
I like what you did with this; you made specific choices to shoot low and with a long lens...the perspective is just...fine & clean & with great detail! Traveller