Blog - Joyful Curmudgeon - Blog
A Mary T. Hoffman Commentary from All-Creatures.org

 

"Joyful Curmudgeon" An oxymoron?
No! I see all the beauty of God's creation and I'm joyful.  At the same time, I see all the suffering and corruption going on in the world, and feel called to help expose and end it so that we may have true peace and compassion.

 

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Wildflowers – 29 August 2006
By Mary T. Hoffman

Yesterday afternoon we enjoyed one of our long walks in the sunshine. Just about everywhere we looked, there were wildflowers: Queen Anne’s Lace, Purple Loosestrife, Goldenrod, Bull Thistle, Spotted Touch-Me-Not, and Healall – to name a few.

Of European origin, Healall – also called Selfheal – was once used medicinally for minor ailments. Another name for Queen Anne’s Lace is Wild Carrot, and is described in one book as “one of the worst European weeds.” Also originally from Europe is Purple Loosestrife – the tall, showy species of loosestrife commonly found around here.

We have 125 species of Goldenrod in this country, all native and most found in the East. Bees and butterflies are fond of Thistle nectar and goldfinches eat Thistle seeds. The ripe seed pods of the Spotted Touch-Me Not, also known as Jewelweed, explode when touched, scattering seeds that are eaten by birds. And hummingbirds are fond of this flower’s nectar.

For more about wildflowers found in our area, including photos, see:
http://www.all-creatures.org/picb/wfshl-photo.html   

Go on to: The Emotional World of Farm Animals – 30 August 2006
Return to: Betrayal – 28 August 2006
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