The first magenta blooms of the Strawberry Hedgehog cactus have started to appear in our desert landscape.  Their glorious color a welcome sight and a hopeful indication of great things to come.  The Christmas Chollas are still showing off their ripe, red berries.  Don’t they look a bit like handblown glass beads, just waiting to be strung?  Down in the wash, the thistles have raised their sugarplum heads and beckon me to come closer for a better look - yikes - they don’t call it a thistle for naught.  And perhaps my very favorite is a tiny wildflower called Owl’s Clover.  It doesn’t show up every year, so enjoy it while you can!