I found this barrel cactus nestled, snug and cozy, in a bed of Arizona wildflowers. It was well hidden, you almost had to stand right above it to even notice it was there. At first, it made me a bit nervous because my young daughters were running around the area, inspecting all of the flowers and I kept imagining one of them tripping and landing on this spiny beast. Fortunately, my interest soon outweighed my nervousness. .................................................................................................... The intricacies of the barrel cactus are captivating. I love the circular pattern and how the spines seem to be woven together to create a blanket of protection for the soft under body, they are truly a sight to behold. The "bed" this cactus is enjoying is made mostly of African Daisies, a beautiful weed that is not only a treat to the eyes, but a huge threat to the noses of our family. We seem to be allergic to these little yellow and orange wonders. Every year I tell myself that I will pluck them from our yard as soon as they start to appear, then every year I think, maybe they won't bother us this time, after all, they are so beautiful. Someday I may learn my lesson, but for now, we get a blanket of these in our front yard one to two times a year, depending upon the weather and I just don't have the heart to pull them.