Flower for the Day Water Mint 8-28-24

Two days over 100 degrees will wilt your plants for sure. But the water mint (Mentha aquatic) is

still flourishing. 

Water mint is a perennial in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. 

In 2019 Plants of the World listed 87 synonyms. It hybridises with Mentha spicata (Spearmint) to produce

Mentha  x piperata (pepermint), a sterile hybrid.

It grows by the front porch and puts out a heavenly scent.

             Mint

It looked like a clump of small dusty nettles
Growing wild at the gable of the house
Beyond where we dumped our refuse and old bottles:
Unverdant ever, almost beneath notice.

But, to be fair, it also spelled promise
And newness in the back yard of our life
As if something callow yet tenacious
Sauntered in green alleys and grew rife.

The snip of scissor blades, the light of Sunday
Mornings when the mint was cut and loved:
My last things will be first things slipping from me.
Yet let all things go free that have survived.

Let the smells of mint go heady and defenceless
Like inmates liberated in that yard.
Like the disregarded ones we turned against
Because we'd failed them by our disregard.

Seamus Heaney 

Flower for the Day Morning Glory 8-26-26

We decided to do away with the morning glory (Ipomea) this year. We did plant moon vine which blooms in the evening.

They are both in the family Convovulaceae. What we got were some holdover morning glories and a very productive moon vine that has failed to flower so far.

I love the morning glory which blooms early in the morning and is closed by noon.

Morning Glory/Late Lament

Cold hearted orb that rules the night,

Removes the colours from our sight.

Red is grey and yellow white,

But we decide which is right.

And which is an illusion?

Pinprick holes in a colourless sky,

Let insipid figures of light pass by,

The mighty light of ten thousand suns,

Challenges infinity and is soon gone.

Night time, to some a brief interlude,

To others the fear of solitude.

Brave Helios wake up your steeds,

Bring the warmth the countryside needs.

//

Breathe deep the gathering gloom,

Watch lights fade from every room.

Bedsitter people look back and lament,

Another day's useless energy spent.

Impassioned lovers wrestle as one, 

Lonely man cries for love and has none.

New mother picks up and suckles her son,

Senior citizens wish they were young.

Cold hearted orb that rules the night,

Removes the colours from our sight.

Red is grey and yellow white,

But we decide which is right.

And which is an illusion?  

Graeme Edge 

Flower for the Day Ageratum 8-23-24

Yesterday my mother's birthday (1901). She was born happy and transferred it to me - I

have no control of this attunement - it is my natural state of self expression. 

Ageratum (Ageratum houstonianum) is flourishing at the edge of the woods. It is in the Aster  family.

It is also called as flossflower, bluemink, goatweed, blueweed, pussy foot and Mexican paintbrush. 

The flower heads are borne in dense corymbs. The ray flowers are threadlike and fluff-haired, leading to the common name. 

Ageratum has evolved a unique method of protecting itself from insects: it produces a methoprene-like compound which interferes with the normal function of the corpus allatum, the organ responsible for secreting juvenile hormone during insect growth and development. This chemical triggers the next molting cycle to prematurely develop adult structures, and can render most insects sterile if ingested in large enough quantities. 

Words are for those with promises to keep. — W.H. Auden

I promised her the garden's glory:
marigold's monarchal blooms,
ageratum's lavender fuzz, the
grainy beards of coxcombs' plumes;
sturdy zinnias, salvia's flames,
snapdragons, and tiger lilies: raw
cuttings from home to grace a stone
in final, promissory awe.

Crystal-needled frost struck and drained
the promised flowers brown; left them
in rows of shriveled heads to nod
on gallows of each blackened stem.
I bought chrysanthemums and filled
her navy vase with bronze and gold
clusters to decorate the grave—
my quaking hand let slip its hold.

The vase discharged against a stone
and shattered, as if the cobalt night
had cracked again: the fragments gemmed
my gold bouquet with bluish light.
The flowers lost—love left unsaid—
planted in my repentant sleep
the seeds to start a garden of words
where love and promises will keep. 

William F Dougherty

Flower for the Day Dahlia 8-19-24

After a slow start the dahlias are finally coming in. The colors are striking. The plants are native to Mexico and Central America. There are 49 species of dahlia.

As a member of the Asteraceae family, the dahlia has a flower head that is actually a composite with both central disc florets and surrounding ray florets. 

Each floret is a flower in its own right, but is often incorrectly described as a petal.

The modern name Asteraceae refers to the appearance of a star with surrounding rays. 

They are just plain purty.

                

        florid blossom

        dressed in dew

        dahlia surprise

Don's Blog 8-18-24 "Sixty-Three !"

Sixty-three years ago at the Pilgrim Congregational Church on Waterman Avenue in St Louis I married Jan Elizabeth Feldwisch, the Love of my life. We exchanged vows and made a covenant to each other, family, friends, and God. It was the most meaningful move of my life. She has created the conditions for our mutual happiness and success. 

We were absolutely naive regarding marriage. She was a recent graduate of Washington University and I was

in my junior year in medical school on my neurosurgery rotation. After an amazing reception at the Westborough Country Club in 

Webster Groves we went to the Inn at St Albans for our brief honeymoon. For our "real" honeymoon the following summer

 we flew to Honolulu on a budget airlines (TCA aka Take A Chance Airlines). We made it safely and the adventure continued.

It is still ongoing. Fortune favors those who remain vertical with their feet moving.

Flower for the Day Zinnia II 6-16-24

The zinnias are finally coming in. Note the color differences in these three.

I love the color differences and configurations.

        

                 Zinnia

exquisite rainbow bouquet

the smell of earth and life

soft petals hot hands-on

ruby, pink, and tangerine

yellow and black wings flutter

over the floral heads

hummingbirds dip deep beaks 

in closed jewels of pollen

hearty zinnia providing life

AmandaLou Massengill, Sep 2020

Flower for the Day Great Blue Lobelia 8-14-24

I have had great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) or blue cardinal flower for several years. The plants are spreading and getting larger.

The flowers start at the bottom and mature upward. By the time the two lipped flowers reach the top of the stalk the ones at the bottom are falling off.

Bioculturally the Iroquois used the roots in combination with other plants to make a strong tea to treat venereal disease.

The Cherokee used blue lobelia for a wide range of medicinal applications, including as a remedy for headaches, worms, rheumatism, fever, and syphilis. The Haudenosaunee prescribed an infusion of the smashed plant to fight bewitchment and used it as a gargle for coughs. The Meskwaki valued blue lobelia as medicine to end quarrels among couples and renew their love. 

My recommendation is to Not use this plant because it is full of toxic alkaloids whether you renew your love with a quarrelsome partner.

BLUE LOBELIA, My secret place......

In a secret place where I once lay, I remembered her special grace
And as I lay thinking, I found the scene changing
I found ,that I was dreaming........

I had never allowed anyone, into my secret place
So, I found myself amazed, that there before me, a special face
Gracing my secret place, and smiling her special way
And causing me discomfort
For it was here in my fantasy, inside my castle deep
I wielded my blades, and found my most healing sleep
Yet, here she was, at my banquet table, in the grand hall of Lobelia
The name of my home, was the flower she wore in her hair
Lobelia, the flower blue, was designed into each and every chair
Yet here it was in her hair, and in the color of her gown as well
It was if the Gods were telling me, my secret place was hers to share
And blue Lobelia the root of her royal air, such regal lines, it had to be
That the woman my ancestors had spoken of, was sitting in front of me
I offered her wine, and for the very first time, she spoke to me and said;
"Kind sir, I am Lobelia, are you the man I seek?" I was taken aback
And though no heart attack, I found I could not speak, but she took my hand
And I began to see that this angel, this Lobelia, was already a part of me
For in the history of the name Lobelia, it meant to strive for the infinite
The very thing that ever brought me here, to my secret place, to seek
The color blue had always been, desirous of Love and of musical pride
So I walked her to the secret door and I asked her to step inside
Her golden curls flowing down her back just touching her velvety blue dress
Floated across the Grand Halls floor, as she entered my heart and my musical test
I showed her my harp,and my instruments of every kind
We spoke, then we danced, and it was not the romance, but the magic of her
That  had me so mesmerized
I knew in my soul that we had danced here before
Perhaps in another life, perhaps among the stars
But I felt It quite certain, that Lobelia and I
Had danced many times before
It all seemed so familiar, too familiar to be anything less
Than the mutual Love of two musical souls,  beautifully expressed
And dancing in the recognition of our family crest,
And the magic of magical beings
Bonding and loving
And dancing, and knowing
That this was OUR
Secret place.......

And as I awoke, where I once lay
And dreaming of days gone by
I recall the name of Lobelia
To this day, I can not remember
WHY..........

Tony Taylor  

Flower for the Day Sharpwing Monkey Flower 8-12-24

Well this flower was in the middle of my trail the other day. Its not that interesting except for its name. Sharpwing monkey flower (Mimulus alatus) is a native in the mint family and its flower is said to resemble a smiling monkey's face- not from my angle and I cannot go back now.

Monkey Flower

Fear is the fruit of attachment,
blame is the fruit of ignorance,
guilt is the fruit of righteousness.

It's fine to nurture
what you think is
"right,
but know that
thinking bears the fruit
of the distorted mind.

It is fine to perpetuate
the seeds of thought,
but consider
where your seeds
are coming from
and what they become
once you harvest them.

How beautifully ugly
your blossoms can be.

Look not in judgement,
but appreciation.

Space Monkey

Don's Blog Deer Me 8-10-24

The other day I was taking my usual walk  at Innsbrook resort in warren County and came upon a deer. Instead of running off the deer just stood its ground. I kept walking slowly toward it. It just checked me out. I walked by it within about 6 feet. We were fascinated with each other. As I walked by it just stayed where it was. Either this is a domesticated deer or I have special powers. What do you think?

Flower for the Day Butterfly Bush 8-9-24

The butterfly bushes (Buddleje davidii) in the meadow are thriving. They draw butterflies and hummingbirds

They come in white

and purple.

                         

This plant is another controversial which is' invasive'  in some areas but not mine.

In England after WW II for instance it grew so well in difficult areas  that it was called

the "bomb site plant" much like fireweed in Colorado after a fire.

   

               The Butterfly Bush

I didn't plant the butterfly bush. It grew there of its own accord,
in between the apple tree and the perennial sweet peas,
an uninvited party guest spiraling skywards like an exploded party popper.
It crowded out the garden path entirely, but I had not the heart
to cut it back – I enjoyed its honey fragrance too much,
the daily cohort of butterflies which arrived to sun themselves
on purple flowering cones; sometimes five, six, even a dozen
soft-winged creatures moving meticulously across the blooms,
nectar-drunk, dipping long tongues into each sweet-scented flower
in search of ambrosia. I could stand a palm's width away
without startling them, noticing for the first time how exquisite
their wings are when seen from underneath, how they give way to hornets
but hold their own among the bees, the way they disperse
into a flurry of petals around my head if I walk past too fast.
Now the flowers are fading, but every time I pass underneath
the butterfly bush I am reminded to move slowly, to show hospitality.
Wild and beautiful things take root in unexpected places if you let them,

and if you walk by too fast, you might scare away the butterflies. 

Caroline Mellor                                                                 

Fun at Home 8-8-24

We have had an explosion of butterflies. Here is a yellow swallowtail.

The deer have  enjoyed the meadow. Yes those are triplets.

This one let me walk up to him.

Lake House Golf cart

Yesterday They returned my golf cart after changing it to a lithium battery for power.

We added a safety bar in the back.

The lithium battery will take much less care and attention.

It supposedly has an 8 year warranty.

Flower for the Day Triplets 8-9-24

Well its not a bumper crop this year but its what showed up in our Zucchini

garden this year.

Flower for the Day Rose of Sharon 8-7-24

Many years ago a friend gave us a small flowering tree. It is the Rose of Sharon(Hypricum calycinum) also known as Aaron' Beard, Great or Creeping St. John's Wort and Jerusalem Star. Ours was a mixture of three different plants with three different flowers.

I cut it back each fall and these gorgeous flowers keep on coming.

The Rose of Sharon

I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love. His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me. I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field... that ye stir not up, nor awake my love... till he please.

Soloman

Flower for the Day Rose of Sharon 8-7-24

Many years ago a friend gave us a small flowering tree. It is the Rose of Sharon(Hypricum calycinum) also known as Aaron' Beard, Great or Creeping St. John's Wort and Jerusalem Star. Ours was a mixture of three different plants with three different flowers.

I cut it back each fall and these gorgeous flowers keep on coming.

The Rose of Sharon

I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love. His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me. I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field... that ye stir not up, nor awake my love... till he please.

Soloman

Flower for the Day Rattle Snake Master 8-5-24

Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) is a favorite that appears this time of year. It is also called button eryngo and button snake-root. It is in the parsley family and is native to central North America's tall grass prairies.The common name "rattlesnake master" is attributed to early European pioneers erroneously believing the plant to be an antidote for rattlesnake venom based upon Native American's use of it for medicinal properties. I love the name more than the plant.

It grows almost 6' tall with dense ball-shaped umbels of flowers topping each stem.Small individual flowers in the umbels are small with blueish white petals and a faint honey scent.

Rattlesnake Master

I knew this ellipsis among coneflowers wouldn't cure me.
Though I collected its green-white doorknobs,
though it nodded enthusiastically about light,

if I sucked its taproot after a bite, I'd still unclot
and cool like those tuberculosis patients
who once sought the "healing air" of Mammoth Cave.
Paraffin, spotty coughs, soft footsteps punctuating the dark—

beneath every prairie is another prairie.
Parsed of color, roots like nesting vipers,
it threads through fungi a pale network,
whose velvet and dew crumbles in my fingers.

Loam whets the air. A borer moth clamps
a Rattlesnake Master's stalk, shooting alerts
through root-webs; poison rises in spines.
I imagine a braid through the dark—

those TB patients holding hands—last becoming first
as he wades toward—they are certain—that mouth
where daylight lolls like a tongue.

Amie Whittemore

Flower for the Day Purple Loosestrife 8-2-24

The days pass by softly. We are into August with three days of high 90's temperature which translates into 

over one hundred in heat index. Thankful for spot thunderstorms which save the gardens. Purple loosestrife 

Lythrum salicaria) has nicely colored flowers.

It has been accused of being invasive but my little garden patch has not changed for almost 50 years.

Its history is interesting:

The generic name Lythrum is derived from the Greek 'lythron', meaning blood, in reference to the flower colour in some species. However, Pliny  (A.D. 23–79) stated that Lythrum is named for Lysimachus, an army general and friend of Alexander the Great. Lysimachus is derived from the Greek lysis, meaning "loosing" and mache, meaning "strife".

Salicaria derives from the similarity of the leaves to those of willows or Salix species.

The English word loosestrife first appeared in written form in the 16th century. It was coined by English naturalist William Turnerin his 1548 work A New Herball, in which he states: "[The plant] may in englishe be called red loosestryfe or purple loosestryfe."^[6]

Purple loosestrife was referred to several times as 'long purples' by John clare, such as in his 1821 poem The Wildflower Nosegay:^[7]

"Where on the water op'd the lily buds

And fine long purples shadow'd in the lake..."

— Volume II of The Village Minstrel and Other Poems, John Clare.