Just two blocks up is a row of Cactus,
blooming and attracting honey bees.
Yesterday I found a lone pod resting on a Cactus and picked it up to study it... I tenderly picked it up with thumb and forefinger. Then spent the next 5 hours trying to get the tiny little "F-ing" spines out of my fingers!
["Prickly pear fruit, also known as tuna in Spanish, is the edible fruit of the Opuntia cactus, which is native to the Americas and grows in arid regions. It is a berry that can be red, yellow, or green, with a sweet flavor similar to watermelon or kiwi. To prepare it, you must first safely remove the tiny spines and glochids before peeling the outer skin to eat the juicy, seedy flesh inside."] **Oh, NOW you tell me!**
I immediately dropped the little finger bomb and started trying to pick the barbs out. THIS caused the barb spines to stick in those other fingers. After about 3 minutes, I had spines stuck in 5 fingers. I finally dug out my pocket knife and used it to drag the blade across the "effected areas" pulling out the stickers. It was a good 5 hours before the stinging stopped. I learned a lesson. One that I should have already known! Duhhh.
-The Arkansas Traveler Skip
