Growing up in the desert southwest, I came to have a real love and respect for cacti. Out there we were surrounded by them everywhere, but one of the most common ones was the prickly pear (Opuntia spp.) since it grew wild and people also used it a lot for gardens. When our family moved to Oregon, the weather was far to wet for cacti, so when we moved to Florida and I began exploring the woods, I was thrilled to see an old friend. Generally, they don’t grow as big as those in the desert, but they still flower during the summer and can stay surprisingly healthy in our drier habitats. This one was growing in the sandhills in Gothe State Forest in an otherwise pretty bare patch of sand. I liked the contrast between the cactus and the surrounding sand, so I took some photos. To get this image, I put the photo through a couple of different apps and did some drawing by hand. I think the final product really emphasizes how beautiful this plant can be.