~Living a life of sophisticated domestication deep in the heart of Texas~

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

A favourite lurking-place of fairies....

Digitalis purpurea

It happens, moreover, the name foxglove is a very ancient one and exists in a list of plants as old as the time of Edward III. The "folks" of our ancestors were the fairies and nothing is more likely than that the pretty coloured bells of the plant would be designated "folksgloves," afterwards, "foxglove." In Wales it is declared to be a favourite lurking-place of the fairies, who are said to occasion a snapping sound when children, holding one end of the digitalis bell, suddenly strike the other on the hand to hear the clap of fairy thunder, with which the indignant fairy makes her escape from her injured retreat. 


So sayeth Wikipedia :+).  This has always been my most favorite wildflower of the Pacific Northwest.  I really was always entranced with it, growing along the roadside and in the meadows up on Mt. Rainier.  I even had a planting just off my kitchen when I lived there.  They grew to be about 5 feet tall, and when I was working in the flower beds during seeding time, the seed pods would pop open and it felt like they were attacking me, lol.  I also remember a story about an older couple who decided to make some foxglove tea....digitalis...and they died.  Together.  I couldn't decide if that was something very sad, or not.

So, that's all I have to say about foxgloves. 

There's not a whole lot that is new and different these days.  We continue to work (a lot) and play (not a lot) and have good times together.  Life is good. 

If I were going to really open up a little and have a heart-to-heart sort of blog post, I might say something about, oh, let's see.  How about discrimination?  Yes.  Shirley Sherrod has gotten some press lately on that subject.  I'm with her. 

You know, we've had some dealings with discrimination, too.  It's hard to believe that here in America, in this day and age, that people can be so, what?  Dense.  We've seen it with co-workers, acquaintances, friends, neighbors, and----yes---family members.

Hello.  When it comes to what we believe, to whom we pray or don't pray, what form our worship takes, where we work, what we do and say, where we live, and with whom we sleep---

Read my lips.

YOU. DO. NOT. GET. A. VOTE.


But hey, do have a nice, big day!!


Shawn
**** 

1 comment:

Velvet Wood said...

The flowers are so beauuuuuuuuuutiful!!! And as far as worshiping as you wish...that is pretty much the American way! Love your posts, Shawn!

Velvet