Cactus Blossom Bouquet © 2011 Bo Mackison

I visited the cactus garden in the Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson Arizona this morning and was quite thrilled to find many cacti in bloom after yesterday;s much needed all day rain. The colors are so bright, all shades of pinks and yellows, that it seems a fitting post for the end of a weekend.

So, first a crowd of blossoms along the top of a Prickly Pear pad.

Riot of Cactus Color © 2011 Bo Mackison

And then a riot of color, all the flowers crowded together to make a natural bouquet on this Prickly Pear plant.

Two Blossoms on the Prickly Pear © 2011 Bo Mackison

And then two blossoms in full bloom, surrounded by the long stickers of this Prickly Pear.

What a joy it is to see the desert turn green and the flowers begin to bloom after a desert rain. It doesn’t take much rain either –  just slightly more than a quarter of an inch – but the desert knows how to utilize every drop to its advantage. Yesterday’s rain was the first significant rainfall I’ve experienced in Arizona since I arrived in early February.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. She will be returning to Wisconsin in a few days after living in Tucson for the last two months. She’s been exploring Arizona, taking photographs, and blogging about photography, art, and living life “solo.”