Pricks and Reprieves

I have this butt ugly cactus plant in my yard.

It is full of spiders and weeds. It has a long tubular thing that put one in mind of particularly large male appendages, but green and full of sharp spikes. That's not a bad thing, (for any of you who may think I'm being insulting to male appendages) but I'm just saying.

I have tried to pluck the weeds out of this plant for 10 years now. And more than once I've thought of tossing the whole thing in the green recycle can. I can't really get all of the weeds out, plus the damn thing pricks me for my efforts to clean it up a bit.

Just about the time I am really ready to send this cactus plant to its great reward in recycle heaven, something amazing happens.

The most delicate pink flower every appears almost as if by magic. It is so beautiful it takes my breath away.

And I think, how on earth could something so ugly produce something so beautiful?

I kind of think maybe this cactus has more intelligence than I give it credit for. It seems to know when I am really seriously thinking of tossing it, and does something desperate to save its own life.

Now I realize that this cactus is really creeping me out. Every time I try to clean it up, it bites me. But when I decide to throw it away, it blooms for me.

Coincidence? I don't think so. I do have it next to the alien sculpture thing so they may have been communicating for some time.