Did you know that Southern California is really a semi-arid desert? Do not let all the flowers, trees, and green lawns fool you. We should average only 10 ¼ inches per year, and for the past five years we have been in a severe drought.

Thanks to the Colorado River and the snow packs in the Northern Sierra Nevada Mountains we manage to pump enough liquid gold to stay green, keep over 100 golf courses in good shape, and distribute to all the agricultural pursuits and have plenty to drink.

My yard is not Xeriscaped, but I do have a proud Prickly Pear cactus (genus Opuntia) dominating my southern backyard fence. This tiny bloom was caught in the crosshairs of my new 200mm lens.