The last year it seems there has been no end to the rain. People joke they need to build an ark. In the eastern United States and the states along the lower half of the Mississippi River this is not just a joke. In my small town in south west St. Louis, Missouri, my neighbors are experiencing flooding. I'm lucky, we are on a small hill (an old mountain). We do have flooding. The water in the Creek was at the bottom of the bridge with each of the last three rains.
Water fall which is normally a small stream on the far right side.
The muddy pool behind it is the bowl my children splashed in when they were little.
It is about 20 inches deep.
The water was over the bridge(which I am standing on) during the night. The bridge is about 8 feet above the surface of the current water. I had to wait till the rain stopped to take any pictures. This is junction where the north south arm drains into the east west leg. We are standing over the north south arm looking south. The water fall is about thirty feet to the left. Normally the water is so clear you can see the gravel bed. When the sun flickers on it, it is very inviting.
Even with the rain I get wonderful surprises.
POKEWEED
Phytolacca americana
In the pasture grass I find a favorite for foraging. It's less than 12 inches tall. The perfect size for dinner. Remember it can be poisonous. I do not consume it when it is mature. Never eat the purple berries or mature plant parts. When the stalks have become bright red it is definitely poisonous.
The May apple finally bloomed. I thought it was going to be beat down by the torrential rains. It is unbelieveable how strong those spindly looking stalks are.
MAY APPLE (Mandrake)
"the Witch's Umbrella"
Bereridaceae
Barberry Family
Heading back up to the house I have to pass the pasture. There, right in front of me, were the Hyacinths in all their glory. They may have been out yesterday, in my rush going up and down the hill I didn't notice them.
WILD HYACINTH
Camassia
Quamash, Indian name, the bulb is said to be edible
Why would you want to eat them when they dot the pasture so beautifully? They are so delicate. When the sun is coming up in the morning they look like little puffs of smoke laying on the grass.
Not twenty feet from them, we have Iris growing. Were their seeds dropped by some bird, how did the rhizomes grow there? We have several unknown varieties which bloom through the middle of June. There are even some dwarf varieties. We joke we have a wood fairy who plants them for us.
Thank you for joining me on this dreary day. The respite from the rain is over. It is raining heavy and steady right now. It is a cold rain. I wonder what it will bring me tomorrow.?
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Containing articles on cooking, crafts, quilting, stories, ect.
New article on "The Wedding quilt"
New articles: "Catstrophe Update" and "Kittens Cats Catastrophes"
Not a garden blog. There are articles which have nothing to do with creating or gardening.
There are blogs on the new born baby kittens we found and are mothering. It is a blog where I will sometimes voice my opinions which will always be environmentally friendly.
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