Blooming desert flora

tknife

tknife

Joined
Mar 18, 1999
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Enjoying the fleeting days of semi-cool weather, I got out for a wander through the hills. I don't think I've seen so many blooming prickly pear cactus before, and I don't think it lasts long.

The cloud cover was nice



So many colors to enjoy before the brown of summer sets in








The yucca is my favorite


Some of the cholla spines were 3-4" long. I would not want to fall in here!



Knife du jour
 
Knice! Yucca is a very useful plant. I have read that the prickly pear cactus can be but I have a hate relationship with them.
 
I also don't like dealing with the cactus. In trying to prepare one, I never get away without at least a couple pin pricks of blood. The pads are decent when cooked, but taste like slimy, unripe sour apple when raw. The fruit are really good, they remind me a little of passion fruit. They are hard to find before the animals do though, but you can cut off the nibbled parts.
 
I've read of people eating the pads and fruits but, like fireants, I've only ever regarded them as pests to be avoided and where allowed, eradicated. I can't deny the attractive blooms or the fact that they most often inhabit a niche in otherwise non-productive lands.
 
How do you like that Cliff knife? Always wanted to try one out is that Osage?
 
ivan51 said:
How do you like that Cliff knife? Always wanted to try one out is that Osage?
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You know what's funny, when I got it, I really didn't like it much. The steel is thin, much thinner than 3/32" and I felt like it was fragile. I used it around the kitchen, and really started using it as a do all knife around home. Fast forward to now where thinner knives are just about all I use, and I am completely smitten by the Cliff. It's extremely light, it's got a slant canted angle to the blade that really makes it slice with ease. And yep it is osage. I could only picture having this knife with osage scales. I love the way they feel and the character they pick up. (Though the maple ones on his site look pretty nice too)
 
Nice knife and some beautiful pics :) I'm in alaska so I'm still seeing snow.on the.mountains (it never really goes away on Some lol)
 
Beautiful photos man! I love the scenery there, and need to get out that way one spring. I love the knife. I typically prefer my blades a bit thicker than that personally, and have gone to tapered and even some hidden tangs to reduce weight, but that knife seems ideal for that environment.
 
mistwalker said:
Beautiful photos man! I love the scenery there, and need to get out that way one spring. I love the knife. I typically prefer my blades a bit thicker than that personally, and have gone to tapered and even some hidden tangs to reduce weight, but that knife seems ideal for that environment.
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Hey if you ever head out here, we'll have to meet up! For sure the environment lends itself to thinner blades I have found. The chaparral is mostly scrub type plants, but we do have several types of oak trees, cottonwoods, ash, etc. Plenty of emergency fire prep or shelter materials can be collected without a knife if needed.
 
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