Blooming Cacti at CV

After my stop on Baseline, then St. George's Catholic Church, then The Arizonian RV Park all on Monday, it was time to check out what was flowering at Canyon Vistas. I had missed the 'Easter Cactus' that bloomed about two weeks ago, but there were plenty of flowers showing their magnificent color this week.

I was driving in the area of the softball field when this HUGE

Prickly Pear got my attention. Look at all the flower buds!

It did not have any dead flowers, so it must just have started 

to show its colors! 

This Prickly Pear looks quite similar to the one at the Arizonian,

but the flower colors tell me that are NOT the same plant/species.

Same flower shape. Same green bud in the center.

Lots of pollen dust on the petals.

This Prickly Pear has been blooming for awhile.

It is one of the first to bloom in the resort each year.

It is also a massive plant.

This flower is past its prime as are most of its neighbors.

These flowers just opened based on the shape of the petals.

Buds and flowers in four different stages.

Don't be fooled by what looks like a spineless cactus.

It has many itty bitty stickers.

This is my neighbors columnar cactus. He has two of these 

young plants and they were both blooming.

The yellow and orange flowers are shaped like the others 

I have photographed.

Tight stamens clustered in the center. I am thinking they 

will spread out as the flower matures. The center 

does not appear to have the green bud like the 

Prickly Pears.

As I was walking back across the street I noticed my

'ribbon' Prickly Pear. It has several buds, again.

I may actually get to see its flower before we leave this week.

If something is there, I will definitely take a photo.

This is the closest to a flower I have seen on it.

Usually I just notice reddish buds.

Just maybe...

Now there are other flowering cacti in the resort. 

I wasn't comfortable walking into back yards, even though

I was invited to look whenever. 

This gives you a very good idea of the various vibrant colors

of the flowering AZ desert cacti.

I mentioned in the first of the three posts how windy it was on Monday.

It was very dusty and dirty.

This is the view of the highest peak, 5057 on

Superstition Mt. at 5:30 PM

That is the top of Flatiron Peak behind the building.

The blowing dirt lasted most of the day. It started to

rain about 8:00 PM turing the dirt into mud.

We had just washed both vehicles!

And because this will be my last post from CV for this season...

I had to post some sunset photos.

The neighbors have left and we can now see sunsets!

One of the things I miss most when we leave each spring.