Finished another baby blanket for a baby boy. My yoga instructor is going to be a grandmother. The colors did not show correctly. They’re decorating his room with mallard ducks. One wall is hunter green. This is cream and dark mallard green. I used the no pill yarn. It’s really soft, but doesn’t look like it’s for a baby to me.
The new flower I saw yesterday was Mountain Mint. I’ll try to get another picture when it blooms. Deer and rabbits don’t like the plant but bees do.
The yellow bloom is Bitterweed. It belongs to the sunflower family and bees love the flower. Bitterweed gets its name from its taste caused by a substance making milk bitter if cows graze on it. I can still recall the taste. It’s horrible. Natives and early pioneers called this Sneezeweed. They dried and powdered the leaves and yellow flowers and made a snuff. When inhaled, the snuff would induce sneezing. The sneezing helped clear nasal passages. Natives thought it expelled evil spirits with the sneeze. The snuff was a substitute for tobacco snuff. Many Pioneer women used snuff. The honey produced from bitterweeds tastes robust but very delicious.
This is an old post card of a little community where I grew up. It’s on Arkansas Highway 311, northeast of Green Forest. Fairwell was established in the late 1800's when William Henry Lawrence donated land for a new school building for the budding community. In 1870, a log schoolhouse had been constructed by Augustus Callen on the deeded land. A larger school building was constructed at a later date, but a name was still needed for the new community. Legend tells of a town gathering that was organized to discuss names for the new town. Hours passed and a suitable moniker could not be agreed upon. Growing weary, Mr. William Lawrence reportedly threw his hands in the air, went to leave, and gave everyone his "farewell". The name stuck. Other early settlers in the area included the historic Gofourth Family of Carroll County. The town's name was sometimes spelled as "Farwell".
In 1960 their little school of five grades closed and the children came to Green Forest. Many of my friends were among them. The last landmark of the little community was the store on the post card. There is still a Fairwell Graveyard.
In 1930, there were 130,000 public school districts in the U S. Most had about 150 students. Now, there are 13,560 and many have 5,000 kids. Consolidating of these small schools, took fire during the Great Depression. Many rural districts could not survive with low tax revenues. Departments of education looked at consolidation as a way to save money. Most of people in charge of education were urban educators and politicians. By 1960 where I grew up the little country schools were unified and gone. I don’t believe bigger is better. I think the main killer of the little schools was the automobile.
Ashy Sunflowers are blooming in the fence row. They’re native to America. The name comes from the ashy, snowy look of its leaves.
Sister Fleta headed home to Coin, AR at 8:00. Logan and Astrid sent eggs to all our folks up home! Makes me smile.
Ada loves makeup. She’s only five, but Princess dresses and lipstick favorites of hers.
Marigolds are originally from Mexico and Guatemala. In the early 16th century they were brought to Europe. They quickly became popular in gardens. They are easy to grow and bloom til frost! Marigolds contains lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids that are essential for maintaining good eye health. These compounds help protect the eyes from damage caused by ultraviolet rays and reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration. Sister Helen told me that chickens love the blooms. I’m going to pick some and give my girls a treat♥️ she gifted me these that she started from seeds.
I’m going to leave my weights, ball and band at the gym and needed a small gym bag. I found this in the shop. It held a tool Larry had purchased. I washed it and I think it’ll work fine. Sister Helen says I’m tight. I say frugal!
The Tell was a quick read by AmyGriffin. It’s a memoir. The author has ran from a hidden occurrence in her past since it happened when she 12. Using a drug it surfaced and she remembers again. It’s about facing trauma and trying to heal to live again. Amy reminded me of myself. I have tried to hide and run to forget. Just speaking what happened helps. But…it’s hard to trust and tell as you blame yourself.
Yesterday, I saw thistles growing along my path. They are called Milk Thistles and are an highly unwanted plant. They have sharp, pointy prickles found all over. The stickers cover the flowers, stems, and leaves and act like a shield to protect the plant from animals that might try to eat it. Birds love the thistle seeds. I will carry my loppers and cut them down.
The thistle the National emblem of Scotland. During the Battle of Largs on 2nd October 1263 an invading Norwegian force tried to sneak up on the sleeping locals but went through a patch of thistles. Their cries of pain (and probably profanity) woke up the sleeping Scots who defeated the invading force.
The thistle has been used to treat many ailments—bleeding, sores, abscesses, fever, dysentery, and worms. Milk thistle seeds (Silybum marianum) have been used for hundreds of years to treat liver and gallbladder disease. Milk thistle gets its name from the white veins on its large prickly leaves. An active ingredient is extracted from the plant's seeds called Silymarin— believed to be an antioxidant. You can still but milk thistle.
In Genesis 3 the thistle is first mentioned in the Bible. After eating of the forbidden tree, God tells Adam that the earth will now bring forth thistles. Thistle is a symbol of sin.
When I went out early to walk, I saw Floppsy eating clover. Then just ahead hid from Farmer MacGregor, I spied Peter Cottontail. On a little farther, I ran into the winner of the race going slow but sure just like me.
My Library has a book for me—The Frozen River by Ariel Lawton. It’s fiction but based on the life of Martha Ballard, an 18th-century midwife. I think the setting is Maine. I’ve read 5 chapters online and I am happy to get a real book. I’m working on a baby blanket for my yoga instructor. She’s going to be a grandmother in October. Sister Fleta is coming this weekend. We’ll work on our family tree. Astrid and Logan are back home in Galla Meadow after a week at the beach. I’m trying to stay positive. Still not keeping up with the news and the wars and poverty around the world. I can’t stop the insanity so why watch it.
