weed loving wonkiness.

I am always fascinated by plants, or, as hubby calls them, weeds. I did a lot of studying when I lived "up the hill" and for a long time after I moved here, I ignored the weeds, because hubby always mowed them down quickly. Now that we are not moving quite so quickly, I get to enjoy them for a bit.

This one, if I have identified it correctly, is a wild parsnip. I will not eat it, however, because I cannot positively identify it. Deb where are you?

Deb was a good friend of mine who introduced me to wild foraging. I was confident to eat what we found BECAUSE SHE KNOWS HER STUFF. But NEVER eat something unless you POSITIVELY know what it is. What you don't know can kill you. Not that I know this from personal experience. LOL

Nope, don't know what it is either, but I can enjoy its beautiful white puffy self.

I do wish I knew more. I don't have the confidence to really KNOW with many plants. I've been trying to get to know a few here and there, like Mallow last year, and I was confident enough to make some sore throat soothing tea this winter from the dried bits I saved last year.

This lovely is definitely edible, it is chickweed. The taste is a bit tart for me, but it's good in salads. This is one that Deb introduced me to all those years ago.

Others were shepherd's purse, a lovely little plant with heart shaped seed pods, that is kind of peppery and sharp, another good in salads.

I feel like I've written about this stuff before here. Oh well. That was then, and this is now...

Just the lovely weed patch in the front yard, that drives the neighbors crazy because it is Growing. I really need to live in the country. I wonder if I will ever get to go back. I don't like making the neighbors crazy, because they think we make the neighborhood look bad. 

It's pretty sad when these green beauties with occasional pink blossoms sticking up are considered ugly. I long for the times looking out the window and seeing dozens and dozens of wildflowers looking back at me. The huge variety of trees. Sometimes deer, or wild turkeys, or even adorable baby skunks. Lizards with blue bellies. Chickens glad to see me because they know I am there to feed them. Cows with their big liquid eyes waiting for the same thing. 

But there are gorgeous daffodils. There are a few tiny daisies coming up, and alyssum. The rosemary is full of bees. 

I think I need to find some garden places this year. I know the Congregational church has a community garden. I am wondering if my former boss still digs in the dirt there. There's a raised bed box in the back yard that needs filling and planting. I even have some seeds. February seems early, but everything's blooming and I am sneezing. In some ways it feels too late for planting, but I know that's not true. 

It has been hard. I find myself, yet again, just sitting. 

But I did get out for a bit and admired the "weeds" and thanked them for being persistent, and apologized for pulling them yet again, for the sake of a Neat and Tidy Yard, which pleases my hubby and my neighbors, but makes my heart a little sad. Yeah, I'm a bit wonky. I love me anyway.