A face in the crowd

This Saguaro appears to have plenty of personality. Its "face" probably results from animals burrowing in to make a home. Woodpeckers drill holes; small owls occupy the cavity. Throughout its life cycle, the Saguaro offers haven to a variety of desert animals. My younger kids, Nora and Aidan, taught me about this when they came home from third grade, where their teacher, Martha MacDonald, had created a fascinating lesson plan based on the book Cactus Hotel. I learned quite a bit from them. The book's illustrations are wonderful. My next series of photos will show the Saguaro life cycle (although, alas, I don't have any shots showing animals).