I left at 5:15 this morning, well before sunrise, so I would arrive in the early afternoon here and have a chance to relax a bit. This was taken in the mountains a couple hours east, just before dawn.
Everyone who visits or lives in Tucson is taught of the rarity and endangered nature of the Saguaro cactus. It is true that it is both rare and endagered, being confined to a small region which is fast becoming overpopulated by the human pandemic.
It is not, however, unique. Not far south of the home of the Saguaro, are vast stands of the nearly identical (except larger) Cardon cactus, and I was very happy, on my trip down here in April, to come across mountains covered by a forest of columnar cacti. 45 of Mexico’s 70 species can be found thriving here.
So much of the internet these days is doom and gloom. Trump and the residuals of his incompetent, despotic reign will destroy democracy forever! Billionaires flying to space are destroying the working class, market capitalism (mom&pop stores), and the atmosphere! While we’re at it, everyone who goes to those environmental conferences is flying a private jet! Hypocrisy! And then there is Covid… either Covid or the hoax pademic is shredding our constitutional rights! Antivaxxers will be the death of us all! (not just themselves) Russia! China! Kamala has a funny nervous laugh! Biden is senile!
It never ends, and it is exhausting. It helps to remember that our little personal world is just a tiny bit of what exists. There are stands of columnar cacti thriving 2000 miles south of the threatened Saguaro. Nature will survive whatever humans throw at it, even if humans don’t. Democracy will win if we support it with our vote. Covid will eventually be just another flu.
In the meantime, Oaxaca also has a bumper crop of agave angustafolia (Espadin) ready to distil into mezcal, which makes it all better.
davidscottmoyer 