Prickly Pear Cactus Pads and Spines

(Opuntia ficus-indica)
Stay Away, OK?

Had some fun with this image tonight. Hoping its not to garish or overdone, my intention was art and beauty.

Those large whitish spines hurt when you get too close to this cactus. But it's those orange and yellow little hairs that are the problem. They are the ones that stay in your skin. Irritating and itching, almost impossible to remove. The more you try, the more they become imbedded. This plant just screams "Stay Away!!!"

Part of my trepidation about becoming a full member of Blip is that I had to delete this image and repost it. I did that because it originally appeared next to a thumbnail image of someones infected toe! Oh my, how gross and distasteful. I spend hours, literally, try an make art and some idiot next to me shows a diseased foot digit, dammit. Sorry for the rant!!!