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.
I love it when I conveniently "forget" to mow a piece of the property. Wildflowers pop up everywhere making the otherwise shabby looking area look bright and happy. Son had replaced a few boards on the pier and tossed the old ones on shore near the base of the pier. We had good intentions of hauling them to the burn pile but got sidetracked along the way so there they sat. Grass grew up between the boards creating a terrible mess for about ten feet. It was in the midst of this mess that I found one bright spot. A wildflower had grown right along with the grass giving its beauty to the world. When I spied the tiny blooms, I immediately plopped down on the pier boards and started weeding. Every place is a garden if you want it to be!
This particular wildflower is called St. Andrew's Cross Flower. The name comes from the fact the positioning of the four petals resembles the X shaped cross that has been dubbed St. Andrew's Cross. The story of St. Andrew states that while he was crucified on a cross, he had requested to not be hung from the same type cross as Jesus. He deemed himself not worthy to be compared to Jesus. He was tied to a X-shaped cross instead.
The tiny yellow flowers of the St. Andrew's Cross Flower create small seed capsules that contain many seeds. These seeds will drop and grow wherever they are allowed but not to the point that the plants become a nuisance. The plant was often used as a medicinal herb years ago. It was used as a treatment for snake bites, It was also a "go to" herb for everything from toothache to giving strength to children with "weak legs". All parts were used in one way or another. Me? I just think it is pretty and will probably save a few seeds to toss back with my wildflower garden behind the canebrake!
