Posted July 28, 2022 by Sheri Edwards CLMOOC

Prickly Pear near Lake Roosevelt

Daily Note

Every day, a photograph, a poem. This will be my resource photo for a July Doodle prompt today. I took the photo after being grabbed by one of the spines while hiking up a hill overlooking the Memorial Day ceremony— to capture the moment in all its honor for those who have served to protect our freedoms.

A note about a vote today: One wonders, though, about the GOP vote AGAINST expanding health care and benefits for toxin-exposed veterans. One would think they would support our living veterans in their time of need. [Who said no? Newsweek]. Republicans are a prickly lot: they poke their spines into everyday people’s needs.

But, this picture is one of nature’s beauty, prickly though it is– and the Prickly Pear Cactus is edible!

Just take a look at Alan Levine’s public domain photos of the prickly pear cactus fruit and his jelly.

Yes! Jelly! From the cactus!

Alan Levine PD
2016/366/354 Fresh Cactus Jelly–First dips in a jar of home made prickly pear fruit jelly

The Prickly Pear Fruit

And see it spread on his bagels!

All My Jellies — Alan Levine PD–On the left is the green chili jelly form about 2 weeks ago; on the right is a new prickly pear cactus jelly made 2 nights ago. It came out rather runny, but after 2 nights in the fridge it firmed up

I wrote a silly poem about that jelly too:

Prickly Pear
Who knew the prickly cactus dandy
blooming in spines can be like candy
in a jelly spread just fine
on a bagel— no more spines!
Sheri Edwards

Prickly Pear
Low to the ground
hidden away
camouflaged
in desert’s way
Spines that poke
sharp as glass
grab at you
as you pass
But in the spring
To late May
Blossoms brighten
in brilliant displays.
Sheri Edwards
072822 211.365.22
Poetry/Photography