It took many years but it finally occurred to me that some of our most common plants have a more colorful history than our notably famous people do. The common milkweed is one of them.
I had no idea it had been used to stuff lifejackets. Thanks, Sharon, for my "learn something new every day" moment. LOL Enjoyed your Aunt Bett story, as always!
I also had no idea milkweeds were used to stuff life jackets. That's so interesting.
I was more taken with your love for your aunt. Seems she taught you many of your "life lessons.'' I had a favorite aunt too, and she introduced me to books and music, and so many experiences.
I hate to even admit this, but I was born during WW II and for many years during and afterward, the war was a common topic. Not so much for those who fought it, but for those of us who were around during it. It was just part of a way of life.
I had forgotten about the milkweed floss and the life jackets until I saw a clump of milkweed growing along the roadside recently. I usually take the interstate and miss out on all the good stuff.
Name: Mary My little patch of paradise (Zone 7b) Gardening dilettante, that's me!
I loved milkweed as a child -- the fluffy-ness of the seeds when the pods burst was my favorite thing about them. I didn't know anything about monarchs or life-jackets at the time. Wish I could have known your Aunt Bett, but at the time, I wasn't even a gleam in my daddys' eye.
Northwest Georgia Daylily Society I'm going to retire and live off of my savings. Not sure what I'll do that second week. My yard marches to the beat of a bohemian drummer...
When I look at your name my eye sees it as Flit and I think of butterflies flitting and flying. I think you should add a butterfly badge right there beside your dog, bear and Gawgia peach!!
I wish you could have known Aunt Bett, too, she would have added a lot of useless information to your repertoire of knowledge, but it sure would have been colorful!
Name: Mary My little patch of paradise (Zone 7b) Gardening dilettante, that's me!
I have a vast store of useless knowledge floating around in my head...
(and some other online friends call me flitwit and/or fitwit, so flit sounds good to me.)
Northwest Georgia Daylily Society I'm going to retire and live off of my savings. Not sure what I'll do that second week. My yard marches to the beat of a bohemian drummer...
I've always referred to myself as a repository of useless information ~ and always eager for more. Glad to learn about the milkweed / life jacket connection. I just knew that fluffy wonderfulness had to be good for something.
I was just outside tidying up the garden, thinking about you and Aunt Bett, and wondering if she ever told you any stories about sweetgrass. ?
That's for telling me my afternoon story ~ I know I love them!
Where are we going, and why am I in this hand-basket?
Name: Mary My little patch of paradise (Zone 7b) Gardening dilettante, that's me!
Moby, your signature is one of my favorite quotes
Sharon, if you think the butterfly is nice, wait til I get around to uploading a profile pic.
(eta: I would have had the butterfly there from the beginning, but didn't see it when I was looking at the badges)
Northwest Georgia Daylily Society I'm going to retire and live off of my savings. Not sure what I'll do that second week. My yard marches to the beat of a bohemian drummer...