Pale Purple Coneflowers.
Like a blushing bride waiting
or dancer of the hula in the gentlest of breezes.
Pale Purple Coneflowers.
Like a blushing bride waiting
or dancer of the hula in the gentlest of breezes.
On July 3rd the Weinermobile was on display across the street from the State Capitol Building in Madison, Wisconsin. Ah, a photo op and why not? The car is a Wisconsin icon, and an American icon, too.
This particular Weinermobile bears the license moniker YUMMY. Very smart, these hot dog people – putting the plate inside the car. There have been reports of missing plates on some of the vehicles. Other licenses the cars have include BIG BUN, OH I WISH, WEENR, WEINER, and OUR DOG, all Wisconsin plates.
Really smart interior. Not only is everything catsup red and mustard yellow, but the ceiling is a lovely cloudscape. Very uplifting, especially during those winter months when the skies tend towards gray and cloudy.
In case you are interested, you can read more factoids from the real sign.
This wildflower, also known as Meadow Salsify, blooms from May through August in Eastern Canada and the Northeastern and Midwestern regions of the United States. It is a flower that literally follows the sun, a true sun-worshiper. The blossoms only open on sunny mornings and as they do they turn to face the sun. They close by noon as protection against the harsher mid-day sun,but then open the next sunny day.
The plant’s white, plumed seeds form a puffball that is especially fluffy, hence the name of the flower – goat’s beard. Native Americans used the sap of the plant – a thick, milky substance – as chewing gum. The tap root can be cooked like a parsnip or roasted to make a coffee-substitute. Even the leaves are edible – either raw in salads or cooked.
Orange Hawkweed is often referred to as Devil’s Paintbrush. It was named so by farmers, who see the weedy flower as being a troublesome beauty. It naturalized from Europe, probably in the 17th century mixed in with seed crops, and spreads quite aggressively and quickly, so it is considered ecologically invasive.
It’s orange color, making it stand out against the many yellow flowers found blooming at this time, adds to the open prairie’s color, but also chokes out native plants that cannot compete. The Hawkweed secretes a toxic substance that inhibits many flowers from growing very near.
Obviously the equally invasive ox-eye daisy doesn’t mind too much. How come so many of the flowers I see seem to be of the invasive sort? I have noticed over the years – I’ve been cataloguing wildflowers in Wisconsin since 1977 – that I am seeing the native flowers, but many in lesser numbers.
Here is the Orange Hawkweed in bud. It does make for a rather fancy weed. Its flowers are short lasting, each blossom lasting only one day.
These photos were taken along the shoreline of Green Bay in Peninsula State Park near Fish Creek, Wisconsin. The over-welcome visitors are being monitored by park rangers, and so far 3 flowers have made the removal list. (Garlic Mustard, Eurasian Honeysuckle and Phragmites)
Perfect white clouds hover over green and white farm buildings in central Door County Wisconsin.
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