Lewis's prickly fascinator

Before we go away for the day, Dave always tries to give the dogs (especially Lewis) a good long walk to assuage our guilt at leaving them alone.   Around the house Lewis is a calm and relaxed dude, he never complains when we leave.   Because of that we always make sure to get him out for some new smells and good exercise, we don't want to take advantage of his good humor.

Today he had a bit more excitement than he (or Dave) really enjoys.   Usery Mountain has many many healthy and luxurious Cholla (choy ah).   The chain fruit Cholla (aka jumping cholla)  grow tall and glamorous and nasty all around us.   They can grow to be 15 feet tall and 8 feet around.

Their fruit makes me think of a woman wearing what we used to call Chandelier earrings.   When the sun shines through their thorns they seem to glow.

They are called "jumping cholla" because when one walks anywhere near them their segmented branches seem to jump at you and attach securely to whatever they touch.    I know, I know, they can't really jump, but anyone spending any time here in the desert may argue with you about that.

a Cholla segment, waiting......

Lew is usually pretty good about not sniffing near these beautiful, nasty plants.
But today, one jumped out and landed right on top of his head.

He shook his head sharply and the prickly section flew in the air and landed on Dave's leg....ouch!     These things don't just unhook when you try to remove them.    The major section comes off, but many individual thorns remain attached and they really hurt.

Dave got the branch off his leg, but those ejected prickers broke off at the surface of his jeans, the sharp point still on the inside.    He wasn't a happy camper and had to drop his pants right there in the desert to pluck the thorns out of his jeans    Wish I was there to see that!  

He still has the tiny red painful spots all over his leg.   Lewis had no ill effects, however.    That thick curly coat has its benefits here in the desert.