when you live in a very cold climate, winter survival often becomes the only defense mechanism you need.  in complete contrast to our mediterranean environment in southwest france, very few  plants here have thorns, and very few of our bugs are poisonous and, well, we simply have very few reptiles, poisonous or not.  so although this looks like a crown of thorns, it is merely a ring of beautifully gnarled and stunted little twigs, from a land of very short growing seasons.

rice creek regional trail, saint paul, minnesota