Flower of the Week ~ Cardinal Flower

During the hours of this day I wander widely. I note with intense interest all the small events around me - a single cardinal flower still blooming in a wet declivity by the pond; dark bumblebees sleeping afield in Mulberry Meadow in this time of the breaking up of colonies; slender ash leaves revolving and sweeping in serpentines on the currents of Hampton Brook.

Edwin Way Teale
"A Walk Through the Year"

The cardinal flower is a native of North America,
and there are more than thirty lobelia species found
in the United States. It was one of the first plants
sent to Europe and has been cultivated there since
the early 1600’s. The cardinal flower was named
after the Roman Catholic Cardinal’s bright red robe.
The root of the cardinal flower was once thought to
be a powerful love charm. It was taken out of the
ground with much ceremony, washed thoroughly,
and then touched to each part of a person’s body.
The charm was said to work for people of all ages,
but it was supposed to work especially well for
elderly ladies.

The Cardinal Flower is a member of the bluebell
family. Insects and humming birds enjoy its nectar,
but bumble bees have trouble clinging to it. Although
this flower was relatively common, people have
picked it too much, and it has become rare in some
areas.

Flower of the week: Yellow Salsify

*UPDATE: I just discovered some days ago that I had a Macro lens and didn't quite know it. Before we moved I won this photography camera bundle package from Ebay. It came with a number of different accessories: lenses, filters, tripods, camera bag, etc. Okay so my point was, I've had this Macro lens without knowing it. It was attached to the wide angle lens and I noticed this only because when I went to take off the lens I had grabbed the wrong spot and twisted it off while the macro portion of the lens was still attached to my camera. It was definitely a neat discovery because this baby lets you get so close; and without realizing it I catch myself shoving the lens into whatever it is I'm taking a picture of. Although I do plan to be extra careful not to scratch my new pride and joy. (I took these pictures yesterday on our little hike)

Yellow salsify is an introduced, weedy species that can invade a lawn or well-established field of native bunchgrass and dominate disturbed sites. It was introduced for its culinary value. Tragopogon spp. Salsify. This plant is also known as "oyster plant" because the first-year roots have a taste that resembles oysters. This is a biennial plant that grows a root and basal leaves the first year, then sends up the flower stalk the second year and dies after setting seed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meadow_Salsify

Turk's Cap Lily

(Lilium superbum)

Turk's Cap Lily is capable of reaching the height of 10’. It is one
of the tallest members of the Lily (Liliaceae) family.

Turk’s Cap lily is a large showy plant usually bearing numerous flowers. As many as 40 flowers have been counted on a single plant. The flower, 2 – 2.5 inches across, is usually orange or yellow with brown or sometimes reddish white speckles.

Lilium superbum flourishes in filtered sun or light shade. It requires moist meadows, rich woods or marshes for its growth. It is sometimes called the Swamp Lily.

The plant’s bulb was used by the Native Americans for making soup and to season stew and meat dishes, which nearly drove the plant to extinction. Turk’s Cap has been making tremendous strides to stabilize in the last 30 – 40 years.

*UPDATE: My friend Deanna from Kentucky got into town today; she is our very first house guest in the new place. Today we had to get the extra room ready for our weekend guest. Which was good since we needed the motivation to get it together anyhow. Before Thursday it was ages since Deanna and I have talked to one another. I suppose that sometimes things happen and people change.............None the less I love to have company. So, I'm glad that she is here! Although, she is mainly here to go climbing. But we all know this is something that I haven't done in a while, a long while. For the sake of nostalgia I plan to go out to the bouldering fields with her while she is in town. If anything I can take some climbing photos.
P.S. I'm so glad the internet is now on at the new place!!!!!!