On this very mellow Sunday afternoon, I'd like to share with you one of my favourite flowering plants........Gooseneck Loosestrife or more formally Lysimachia clethroides.
You may have heard of its very notorious distant cousin 'Purple Loosestrife', Lythrum Salicaria, which is eating up a lot of 'wet lands' in Canada and the US. This cousin is very aggressive and almost impossible to get rid of. It has made it's presence known here in Nova Scotia about 10 years ago.
However, the Gooseneck is a lot less aggressive and very easy to maintain. We've had it for 15 years plus. And it is making itself known in a few areas of the garden.
They grow in clusters/groups and the white flowers can be very striking mid summer till fall around here on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia.
Another 'loosestrife' is the yellow variety or Lysimachia Punctata. This is not related to the purple one but can be invasive if you are not careful. It 'took off' on us a few years ago and we had to really dig up most of it. Now it is under control.
Like a lot of plants that like to take over your garden, you have to watch them after a few years and keep them under your control. They are very manageable. But DON'T bring in the purple variety. You will regret it.
And as the wind is 'picking up' and blowing the Prayer Flags, hope you are all having a 'mellow' weekend too.
I was always impressed with the array of colours they have.
I can even remember these either at my grandmothers or in my Mom's kitchen when I was young, not sure. But when I first caught sight of these I needed to have some.
These Delphite dishes were made in Canada by Pyrex.
All the others I have were made in the USA.
I should mention that these dishes are 'oven-proof' as well and can be used for baking. I have one casserole dish by Pyrex and decorated by Gay Fad. I showed this piece a couple of Retro Saturdays back.
I very rarely use these. They are on display in the kitchen cupboards and the colours can be seen through the glass doors. Really brightens up the place.
These dishes are 'flying off the shelves' of thrift stores and 'collectables' shops. You can still get them for a pretty cheap price though, if you look hard enough.
And remember these are all very durable and usable. Besides, every kitchen could use a 'punch' of colour, wouldn't you agree?
Oh yes, 'pyrex collective' is having a great 'giveaway'....check her out.
Yeah California! Proposition 8 was deemed unconstitutional yesterday by a Federal District Judge. Last year the right for same sex couples to marry was rescinded by the government. Now the right to marry is back. But has a few more steps to climb before it is legal for good.
Some may ask why this is so important. My simple answer is because in a democracy ALL the basic rights of individuals are the same and carry the same weight for ALL.
My husband, Ron, and I have been together for a while now. We never thought about marriage until it became available a few years ago here in Canada. When the Federal government decided that it was unconstitutional and against the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, it put it into law.
Yes, there was a lot of objection to this from different groups who had issues based on religious and moral beliefs.
During this time Ron and I started thinking about what would be the advantages of getting married. Did we want to join the rest of society in this too and get married. We had lived together for years without it. What would be the big difference anyhow?
Well, we decided to 'do it' a year and a half ago. The main reason was that we could. Also that it would be sending out a message to society in general that we have every right to do so.
I figured that it would also 'solidify' the law somewhat....the more people that took advantage of this 'new' law, it would be more difficult to get rid of it in the future......as it had in California. Plus, it would help future generations of gays and lesbians if the law became more stable and 'used'.
So we got 'hitched'. Wanted it to be very private and informal. The ceremony was at the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia and we were married by a Justice of the Peace. Only told two of our friends who 'stood' for us.
We did not include family till after the event. Why not include them in the celebration? Well, even though they have been very supportive over the years, we wanted something quiet and intimate. They threw a party for us a week later after we told them.
Do we feel different now that we are married? Yes. We don't know exactly why but the whole ceremony and formal commitment thing really made an impression on us, I guess. It made us think about our relationship and thus made us closer. I guess a lot like when married couples renew their vows.
I think it's just a matter of time for the US government to realize that it will be a whole lot easier to pass a law stating that same sex marriage is a basic right and freedom, than to fight it in the courts for the next 100 years.
Or will the United States remain closed off to the world regarding this issue, like it has in the past regarding other basic rights and freedoms of certain individuals?
That's my 'ring' finger I'm holding up! We exchanged rings later.
One of mine is 'Queen Anne's Lace', Daucus Carota or commonly known also as Wild Carrot, Bird's Nest and Bishop's Lace. It is native to temperate regions of Europe and introduced to North America.
I remember the first time I was shown one. I was totally intrigued with the intricacy of each individual flower within the whole blossom. It blew me away.
And when I was told about the 'red' spot....well that made it my absolute favourite.....up till then.
For those who don't know, the red on the flower represents a drop of blood from Queen Anne's finger....she was making lace. So the legend goes.
Every now and then, I have come across a pink blossom.....
These are probably 'mutants' but they sure are pretty.
The blossoms used in this blog were taken this past Saturday along the Gaspereau Canal in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia.
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