Kind of weird, this coincidence of nature that happened recently.Sue and I were out for a walk on Sunday and happened to see a very pretty flower along the trail - one very similar to the picture on the left.
Sue remarked, "I don't think I've seen that kind of wildflower before." I said, "No, me neither. But I believe it's a native Pennsylvania wildflower and must not be disturbed." At which point I removed my farmers cap and scratched my head for emphasis.
"It would be nice if we had some growing in our front garden", she continued. "Yes, I agree but we must leave it be. Remember", I continued, "when we went to the Grand Canyon and the ranger told us that if every tourist took a rock home with them, that pretty soon there would be no more canyon".
She nodded in agreement. You see, we have learned from these smarter people and their approach to managing nature. Like, the lady our
township hired to plant our back field with trees (in a manner similar to how a farmer plants corn, or a tree farmer plants southern yellow pines - planted just as close together, and in rows). But unlike the farmer who knows that corn doesn't like to grow under mature shade trees, this woman does not understand to apply that same approach to trees. Or maybe it is us that don't understand. These trees by the way, are intended to provide a barrier to the noise and lights and peeing spectators at soccer games. And if they do mature (the trees), they will be tall and bare in the middle and full of foliage about 30 feet off the ground - thus providing a sound barrier for the birds on my roof, but none for the people who live at ground level. Oops, I may be off subject.Anyway, the point is, we have learned that native plants, such as these wildflowers, and the highly respected and protected poison ivy, are to be allowed to grow free of management and control. They must not be propagated through division and replanting, nor infringed on by those nasty invasive species - like the wild blackberries and the wild raspberries (wineberries) - which I used to pick and make wonderful syrups from, but now must be poisoned with a laundry list of carcinogenic compounds. Killed but left in piles on the ground like construction rubble.
Damn, I am digressing again. Let me leave the killing fields and jump to the punch line.
This morning, while making my rounds of the grounds, I found some of these very same plants growing in a corner of my garden. Glory be!! Praise the wildflower sowing seed winds of change.
Or something like that.
The author does not resort to sarcasm much anymore, but like any other junkie, he occasionally falls off the wagon. Please forgive him and feel free to shake your head in mock admonishment.
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The writer left it to my judgement as to whether or not I believe that he either 1) acutally did dig up the plant and bring it home or 2) coincidentially discovered an identical plant already growing in his garden. Now, I am more experienced than most when it comes to this particular author and, truth be told, have similar tendencies to him. So I have my guess, have written it on a piece of paper and will wait for a later post to reveal the truth to the situation. Until then, I will enjoy my own native plants, who of their own desire, came to be part of my home through various means - both assisted and not.
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