About six months ago, my husband, John Plocher carved me a cactus valentine. He got the idea from a cactus we saw at Poot’s House of Cactus in Ripon, California. Our carved cactus is one of the many huge prickly pear Opuntia or nopales paddle cactuses in our yard. Before our neighborhood of houses was built in Willow Glen, local historians tell us that there was a chicken farm and a prickly pear cactus farm on the land.
John says he was inspired to take a knife to the cactus by it poking him one too many times while he was working in the garage. I admit I did not notice
his creation until he pointed it out but it makes a funny addition and does not bother the cactus.
![]() |
![]() |
Images Copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson


