仙人掌
上雨初晴
滿滿當當的枝頭綻放
仙人掌，是石竹目仙人掌科（學名：Cactaceae）的植物總稱，為多肉植物，但在園藝界通常將其獨立自一般的多肉植物類型，而稱為「仙人掌與多肉植物」（cactus and succulent plant）。
仙人掌具有為貯藏水分而特化為肥厚多汁狀的營養器官（莖、葉），大多分佈於美洲，以熱帶地區最為多見，生境多為沙漠、半沙漠等乾燥少雨環境，部分為雨林環境中的附生植物。仙人掌科約有150屬，近2000種。
絕大多數的仙人掌的葉退化為短小的刺，既能減少水份流失，又能防禦動物啃食，而光合作用則主要由特化的肉質莖進行。
其莖肥厚含水，表面有蠟質，多為球狀，以儘可能小的表面積儲存儘可能多的水分，從而減少蒸發。所有仙人掌科植物均通過景天酸代謝途徑進行碳固定，從而增加水分利用率，以適應炎熱、水分匱乏的環境。
仙人掌用途廣泛，可作觀賞植物、草料或飼料，果實可食用。以仙人掌汁液為食的胭脂蟲廣泛運用於生產胭脂紅染料。
puff the magic dragon
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee,
Little jackie paper loved that rascal puff,
And brought him strings and sealing wax
And other fancy stuff. oh
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee,oh
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee.
And Together they would travel on a boat with billowed sail
And Jackie kept a lookout perched on puffs gigantic tail,
Noble kings and princes would bow wheneer they came,
Pirate ships would lower their flag
When puff roared out his name. oh!
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee,oh
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee.
A dragon lives forever but not so little girls and little boys
Painted wings and giant rings make way for other toys.
One grey night it happened, jackie paper came no more
And puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.
His head was bent in sorrow, green scales fell like rain,
Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane.
Without his life-long friend, puff could not be brave,
So puff that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave.
Oh, Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee.
Oh, Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea (residence)
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee,
(a land called honah)
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OiOlnoyljk
Peter, Paul & Mary 保羅、彼得與瑪麗三重唱所演唱的" Puff (the magic dragon) "，是一首曲調琅琅上口、傳唱度極高的西洋老歌。其歌詞來自 Leonard Lipton 李奧納立普頓所寫的詩，當時他 19 歲，還是康乃爾大學的學生。 " Behind The Hits "一書的作者訪問了李奧納立普頓，談到他創作這首詩的緣由。 李奧納立普頓表示，有一天他準備到朋友的住處吃晚餐，當時還有點早，便順路進去圖書館看書，正巧讀到詼諧詩人 Frederic Ogden Nash( 1902 - 1971 )的作品" The tale of Custard the dragon 火龍卡士達的故事 "。 這首詩裡講述小女孩貝琳達養了許多寵物，她把黑色貓咪取名為 Ink 印刻，灰老鼠取名 Blink 布林克，小黃狗取名為 Mustard 瑪斯達，還有一隻膽小的火龍取名為 Custard 卡士達。 每一隻寵物都有自己的英勇事蹟，除了火龍卡士達。但是，當海盜前來襲擊村莊，每隻動物都嚇得躲起來，只有火龍卡士達挺身而出保護小主人，殺死了海盜……。
