Happy new year

Two images from our recent trip to Joshua Tree National Park express my apprehensions and my hopes for 2024. (You've seen images of both of these plants already.) The jumping cholla above looks like a pretty tree but at its feet is an arsenal of spiky balls waiting to hitch a ride on anyone who gets too close. Danger spreading!! The yucca below, putting forth its blossom, is a little unseasonable but also reassuring. Its buds are clustered in such a way that they look almost like a calendar! 2024 will be a year with new shocks and spikes but may it be contained still in the underlying continuity of shared life.