The recent warm weather is bringing out the blossoms. On the ridge, a wild cherry is in full array. These cherries are small, black and very sweet; excellent to make jelly if you can find a way to get them--the tree is 30 or 40 feet tall.
Here it is, towering over the ridge road. I remember when we had cattle, we would cut down the wild cherry trees because their leaves are poisonous to cattle.
Apparently no one ever told cows not to eat things that aren't good for them. Ruthie, our first milk cow (a Holstein) was addicted to wild onion and would break through stout barbed wire to get at it. Of course the onion ruined her milk, which would absolutely reek of strong onion scent for days.
Here are the tiny Spring Beauties. You have to look closely to spot them in the drift of old leaves. If you could see them close-up, you'd see that their petals are peppermint-striped with drak pink or red, giving the flowers a pinkish tinge. That coloration did not show up in my pictures, unfortunately.
Growing in close company with the Spring Beauties is Cleavers, a wild green used in the past as a way to lose weight. I don't know if it is a diuretic, or tastes so bad that it reduced the appetite! The name comes from the tiny spurs on the branches of this low-growing plant--if you break off a piece and put it on your clothing it will "cleave" to you.
I intended to take more spring flower photos yesterday, but taking this one cost me. I managed to do something to me knee that threw me to the ground, and I've been pretty much in misery ever since. Between that and finishing up my income tax return, this hasn't been the most fun weekend I can remember!
So tomorrow it's off to the doctor to see what in the world I've done to my knee. It's been bothering me for months, but this is more than I can stand, especially with 5 days of storytelling (300 miles or so away from home) coming up at the end of this week.
Does anyone know of a miracle cure?
I have been happy with the results of myo-fascial release therapy
ReplyDeletehttp://www.myofascialrelease.com/home.asp
-- I don't know how easily you would find someone nearby, though.
I hope your knee improves quickly, as (to paraphrase Kathryn Windham) you "have so much more to do."
I got xrays today but I dont expect they will show much. I think this is a pinched nerve or something, not a bone thing. I'll see the doctor tomorrow so perhaps he'll have some ideas. I can hope, anyway. It does feel better after a couple of days of pampering it.
ReplyDelete