With a few more days to go in a very long string of cloudy days, I could use some color, even if from some yellow dandelion weeds.
Sunny Weeds
Picture of the Day for January 21, 2017
The rain which is melting the snow is creating some dense fog so no sunshine to be found. And even if it is above freezing, there are no flowers or butterflies to be found in January around here unless inside.
Red Admiral on Wild Bergamot
Picture of the Day for January 2, 2017
New white is covering the ground again today, although it is from snow and not summertime white daisies. Daisies always remind me of summer, which is not on the horizon in the near future.
Summertime Daisies
Picture of the Day for November 12, 2016
Although the ground was white with frost this morning, some ‘flowers’ or weeds were still blooming in the chilly sunshine. Course this sow thistle in my flower bed this fall shows I didn’t do a good job of weeding this summer.
Late Fall Sow Thistle
Picture of the Day for October 5, 2016
There are a few flowers still blooming adding more yellow color to the autumn display.
Yellow on Water’s Edge
Picture of the Day for August 31, 2016
When I mowed the lawn on Tuesday, I went pass what remained of the orchid which is now a dried stem with little cups that hopefully hold some seeds to produce another orchid next year. The month time made a huge difference in the appearance of the flower, but even when it is blooming, the first blossoms are fading before the top buds open. Like the months and seasons, one fades away as the next takes hold with the future one on the horizon.
Orchid’s Past Glory
Picture of the Day for August 19, 2016
The crimson color of the Prairie Ironweed brightens up the prairies in late summer. The tough stem that keeps the flower standing tall contributed to it being called Ironweed. Ironweed is a larval host for the American Painted Lady butterfly.
Prairie Ironweed
Picture of the Day for August 6, 2016
While some summer flowers seem to last a long time, like Black-eyed Susans, others make a brief appearance and then vanish, sometimes for years. My one lone Lesser Purple Fringed Orchid plant is about done blooming for the season, with just a few blossoms left on the top of the plant to dance in the wind.
The Last Dance
Picture of the Day for August 4, 2016
This summertime wildflower won’t catch your eye like bright yellow or pink blossoms as it looks more like a sticktight waiting to grab you. Native to the tall grass prairies of central and eastern North America, Rattlesnake Master common name comes from the fact that some Native Americans used its root as an antidote for rattlesnake venom. Fibers of rattlesnake master have been found as one of the primary materials used by Midwestern Native Americans in the ancient shoe construction. And while it looks like it has white blossoms, it doesn’t as the rattlesnake master captured a yarrow plant in its clutches.
Rattlesnake Master
Picture of the Day for August 1, 2016
Rolling hills covered with Purple Prairie Clover would be pretty to see, and many animals eat them for food like pronghorns. It is nutritious and is “considered one of the most important legumes in native grasslands on the Great Plains.” The pretty plant is used for re-vegetation on reclaimed land, preventing erosion and fixing nitrogen in the soil. It also had a number of uses for Native Americans.
Purple Prairie Clover
