A Sunbeam Fell To Earth

  Just a couple of days ago, I was elated to find the prickly pear cacti in bloom.  The plants were full of buds and had open blooms.  The bright yellow was like sunshine in the garden spot.  The blooms brightened the day starting at dawn.  Then, this morning, I find that all of the blooms and the buds are on the ground.  Some critter had decided to tangle with the cacti and obviously did a bit of thrashing about after being stuck by the many spines.  Those needle-like things can cause major irritations when lodged in the skin.

  Now, I am pondering just what came in contact with the cacti.  They are in pots in the middle of the yard so this was not an accidental, gentle "rub by".  I am thinking more of a squabble between two coons.  Perhaps there was a territorial spat in the back yard and the pair wound up inadvertently pummeling the cacti.  If this was the case, I can only imagine how both coons must feel now.  Those spines are a doozy to remove!  

  It saddens me to know that the cacti are lacking buds but I did get one last photo of the beauty.  A single bud actually unfurled even though it had been ripped from the cactus.  It was tossed onto the ground but still opened and brought joy.