Howdy, y’all.

I’ve always enjoyed old fables and mythical stories, so I wrote a very short fable about staying warm in the high desert. It’s called…

A Cactus Carol

Chapter 1: The People Who Climbed So High

A long time ago, people heard stories about the mountains high above the desert. These mountains were said to have special plants and animals. And this place could make anyone who visited feel stronger and braver.

The humans in the lowlands wanted to see if the stories were true, so they packed their things and climbed up to explore. When they reached the top, they were amazed by the animals and trees and streams and rocks.

But when the sun went down at the end of the day, the air turned very cold. Even after making a big fire, the people were all shivering.

The Great Star, watching from above, said, “Those humans are pretty brave to climb so high. But their hearts must open much bigger if they want to stay warm during the cold nights.”

The Great Star thought for a while. “Music is the key,” it said, “for music can open hearts faster than anything else.”

But where would the music come from? The Great Star looked down at the cacti scattered across the desert floor. They were silent, sturdy plants, and each one had a unique way to live in the desert.

“The cacti know how to survive in this land,” the Great Star said. “I will ask them to create a song to teach the humans how to stay warm.”

Chapter 2: The Cactus Choir

That night, the Great Star was shining extra bright, and the cacti gathered together for the first time.

There were the tall, majestic saguaros with their deep, booming voices.

The cholla had voices that sounded like a big crackling fire.

The prickly pear spoke in soft, smooth tones.

And the ocotillo spoke in a high, soaring voice.

They had never sung together before, and each cactus had its own idea about how the song should sound.

“The song must be strong and deep,” said the saguaro. “Only then will it vibrate in the hearts of the humans.”

“No, it must be sharp and fast,” argued the cholla. “That will wake up their hearts.”

“A slow, gentle song is what they need,” said the prickly pear, “to help them calm down.”

“You’re all wrong,” said the ocotillo. “The song must soar like the wind, to help their hearts fly.”

The cacti argued late into the night, each insisting their song was best.

Chapter 3: The Cactus Without Any Spikes

The moon climbed high into the sky, but the cacti still could not agree.

Then, a strange and quiet voice spoke up. It was the little peyote cactus, hidden under a mesquite tree.

“Perhaps I can help,” said the peyote.

The other cacti were suspicious. “What could you know about survival?” asked the saguaro. “You don’t even have any spikes to protect you.”

“And you’re the smallest cactus!” said the cholla. “You have to hide under the mesquite for protection.”

The peyote listened to the other cacti, and then said, “It is true that I have no spikes. But I have learned to survive by being soft instead of spiky. I work together with the other plants. And I have learned this: harmony is the key.”

“Harmony?” asked the prickly pear.

“Yes,” said the peyote. “Harmony is made when many voices come together, each singing their own part, with their own voice. If we wish to create a beautiful and powerful song that will open the humans’ hearts, we must combine our different voices.”

Chapter 4: The Secret Desert Song

The cacti were quiet for a long time. Finally, the ocotillo spoke. “Let’s try to harmonize and see what happens.”

For the rest of the night, the cacti listened to each other’s songs, and learned to sing together.

The big saguaro softened its voice to blend with the prickly pear’s gentle hum. The cholla’s fast voice was like a drum under the ocotillo’s soaring melodies. And the peyote’s steady chanting held the song together.

Their song grew bigger and bigger. The music flowed throughout the desert and the mountains, carried by the wind. The other plants and animals began to sing along.

The song reached the humans — they couldn’t hear the music with their ears, but they felt it in their chests. Their hearts opened… their breathing became steady… their minds grew quiet… and they relaxed. A gentle warmth grew in their hearts, and it spread all the way to their toes and fingers and noses.

For the first time, they felt truly at home in the high desert. They built houses around the mountains and discovered new plants to eat. They began to sing their own songs around the camp fire at night. Their human music harmonized with the quiet music they felt from the desert.

They didn’t have big coats or blankets, but they always stayed warm.

And they lived there for a very long time.

As I was writing this story, I was wondering what each cactus’ unique music might sound like, and put together some music selections for those who enjoy sonic exploration:

Saguaro music: Alice Coltrane’s 1971 classic, Journey in Satchidananda, opens with one of the most iconic upright bass lines of all time, slow and booming throughout the whole hypnotic jazz journey.

Cholla music: The third movement of Steve Reich’s Electric Counterpoint is based on interwoven layers of sharp guitar notes that meld together into glistening waves.

Prickly Pear music: The Lemon of Pink by The Books is a slow and gentle collage of soundscapes carried along by meandering banjos and fiddles.

Ocotillo music: The famous Bulgarian Female Choir blends Catholic choral music with traditional folk melodies and dirges. Here’s one of their beautiful recordings from 1987:

And a little local news break…

Tracy Taylor has handed over the reins of the Bisbee Farmer’s Market to Weedy and Kae of Weidenthal Family Farm. Congrats and best of luck to them in 2025.

Locals have been worried that the planned merger between Albertsons/Safeway and Kroger/Fry’s would cause the Bisbee Safeway to close down, raise prices, or terminate staff. But earlier this year, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, along with attorneys general from other states, filed a lawsuit to block the merger, and a U.S. District Court recently agreed to pause the merger, leading Albertsons to exit the deal.

A new family business in Benson has been booming, reports Hector Acuna for the Herald/Review. Eden’s Echo Farmstead is run by Trent and Jackie Nichols who, earlier this year, relocated from Marana to a local 5-acre property. They built out a ranch with 60 animals, opened a storefront on 4th St., and are up to their elbows in handmade goods and events like “food truck night” and “movie night.” Located at 817 W 4th Street, Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., edensechofarmstead.com

Willcox’s Sand-Reckoner Vineyards have decided to close down after 15 years in the biz. Back in August, they had already closed down their tasting room in Tucson. While the company didn’t give a reason for the closure, the Arizona Daily Star reports the wine industry has been experiencing a statewide slump, with many producers unable to find buyers, and growers leaving fruit to die on the vine.

Other local vintners are giving mixed reviews to Governor Katie Hobbs’ decision to finalize the Willcox AMA a few days ago. As I’ve previously reported, the AMA designation is just one part of a greater battle at the capitol over the future of groundwater regulations. Chile farmer Ed Curry told the Herald/Review:

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