There's no place like Santa Fe.

Can you tell I’m not in Kansas anymore? Yesterday I flew to Santa Fe to take a class at the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops. I love Santa Fe and I love photography so basically it’s a dream vacation. And it gives me an entire, luxurious week to get to know my new digital camera.

This morning our first assignment took us to Jackalope, a very cool import emporium out on Cerillos Rd. I’ve always loved this store; it’s a wonderful collection of glass, pottery, wood, textiles, beads, things you want to touch and smell and taste. Today we wandered indoors and out, shooting whatever captured our imaginations, and I found this Agave parryii: 16” across, succulent blue-gray foliage, and wildly toothed. You want to touch it but you know you shouldn’t. It’s a tempting, dangerous plant.

I’ve been growing this same species back east for almost two years and my scrawny specimen still doesn’t fill a two inch pot. I hate feeling pathetic and sorry for myself, so I’m putting this plant up for adoption as soon as I get back home. There are times when you just have to let go, and having seen this plant in all its xeriphytic glory here in the desert Southwest I am forced to admit that this is one of those times. Anyone out there want a baby Agave parryii?