Saturday, July 17, 2010

"Who Gathers Thistles, May Expect Pricks"

My Thistles are just starting to bloom.

M Y   G A R D E N — Sometimes when I start a new post, I check my Bartlett's Quotations for something clever or cute or funny to use as a headline. I was really surprised when 99% of the ones I read about Thistles were negative! The one I picked is an old proverb, but fits the humorous category!

Thistles have REALLY sharp thorns, REALLY, REALLY sharp thorns, and there are so many thorns they're not like roses where you can find an easy grip. Also unlike roses, the leaves have thorns too. You really can't touch these plants ever, but I just LOVE the big round green globes that form before the pinkish-purple flowers erupt from the top. This plant, which started out so tiny, is now a good 4 feet wide, almost 4 feet tall, with 6 large 'arms' or branches, all with several smaller branches all with buds forming. This is the first bud to fully blossom. Tiger Swallowtail butterflies love these, and I've already seen one in the yard. I'll try to get a better resolution photo than the one I took a few years ago.



It's so hot out that I'm postponing my bike ride this afternoon. I might go later, in early evening, or I might wait until tomorrow. I'm getting too old to sweat for a couple of hours although I wouldn't mind the sun, lol. I'm just NOT one to 'sit' in the sun, I have to get my color when I'm doing something outside so I don't think about it.

PS: You can see how brown the lawn is getting. We've had very little rain in the past 6 weeks and bright sun almost every day. Many houses around here have underground watering systems, with lush green lawns, but we're not that upscale here at Pink Gardens  : )  I'm just glad we have 'town' water, so we can water our veggies and flowers as much as we want. In my old family homes, right on the water, we had wells, which always got very low in the summer, or started filling with salt water from the Sound when the water table got really low.

5 comments:

  1. GOOD ONE KIDDO, THE PICTURE AND///////////LOL

    A PERFECT PICTURE. WHY AREN'T YOU WORKING OR SELLING YOUR ART TO MAGAZINES. YOUR GOOD AND YOU KNOW IT.

    GRANNY

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  2. thanks! I like doing as much as I can for free. it keeps everything so much more simple! plus when people pay you, they can tell you what to do or how to do it. maybe when i eventually finish my own book, i won't have to worry about that anymore.

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  3. YOU WRITE THE BOOK AND I'LL BUY IT AS I'M SURE MARE WOULD ALSO. YOUR VERY TALENTED AND I'VE ENJOYED COMING HERE EVERYDAY JUST TO REFLECT ON THE REAL THINGS OF LIFE.I ALWAYS WANTED TO RETIRE WITH GRAMPS TO A LOG CABIN, OVERLOOKING A LAKE AND A MOUNTAIN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WATER. JUST US AND QUIET, IF YOU GET THE PICTURE.

    GRANNY

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  4. I am just amazed at how different things can be in different parts of the same country!!
    Thistles were the "cursed" field weed here! A field full of thistles was NOT good for farming and cattle...
    Same with the water level...salt water in the well?? Wow..I've never even seen a place that has salt water..we loved having our "own" well water..no kidding. SO so interesting. I am grateful for the new view you are giving me of the everyday things..thanks!
    (great pics!...)

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  5. I think most people, even around here, don't care for Thistles! I have to keep 'reminding' everyone that I grown them intentionally! The landscapers always want to cut them down. I can see how they'd be bad for a field though, and there is no way cattle could eat them! Salt water in wells is pretty common right along the shore. I know some people that had to go down more than 500ft for fresh water. Our well was 'only 170 feet, so when things got dry, the Sound somehow worked it's way in there. Our well water also turned everything brown, rusty, after a while, and was such a pain to keep everything clean and white. I'm much happier with town water, but where I lived before it wasn't even an option. You either had a well or you had to have water shipped in, which many neighbors did for drinking water. We only did once or twice that I remember.

    I like hearing about different parts of the country too!

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