I Can’t Say No

 I’m a girl who simply can’t say no to plants.

I love my desert home. The heat is relentless, rain is reason enough to twirl around the yard, and we share this landscape with some wonderfully strange plants and creatures. There are only two I keep a healthy respect for.

Javelinas and teddy bear chollas.

Javelinas are basically little army tanks with legs, bad attitudes, and a smell that could challenge a skunk. And teddy bear chollas? Don’t let the name fool you. They’re also called jumping chollas for a reason. You haven’t truly experienced the Sonoran Desert until you’ve found yourself lying half-dressed on the ground while a friend pulls cholla segments from your legs and back with a pair of pliers.

Gardening here comes with its own set of challenges.

But every scraped arm, sunburned afternoon, and battle with stubborn desert soil is worth it. Most mornings, I step outside with a cup of coffee, settle into a quiet moment of prayer or meditation, and watch hummingbirds dart from flower to flower. In those moments, the desert feels less harsh and more like a sanctuary.

People sometimes tell me I have too many plants.

I disagree.

My yard isn’t overcrowded. It’s simply still becoming what it wants to be.