Monday, July 27, 2009

Averillage

Every evening I go for an hour-long stroll around the village back streets.



I amble past the fields and admire the varied fence-posts (look hard, you can just see one). Sometimes there are cows in the field, sometimes Canada Geese, tonight only the tall grasses, etching their patterns against the sky.


The bullrushes, or cattails, are coming into full bloom. Apparently a flour can be made from them, but who'd want to try?



There are varied wildflowers in the ditches and fields. I aways think these are chicory because of their colour, but I believe I am corrected every year when I blithely announce that the chicory is out. I'm not good at naming things...I prefer to simply appreciate their mystery. Makes for fewer names to be frustrated about forgetting, too.

But come along, we have a lot further to go yet...

16 comments:

  1. Lovely country wanderings there, I love those pretty blue flowers whatever they are. I'm hopeless at naming plants too but my mum can tell you more than is decent about any plant you happen to point to!

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  2. Anonymous27 July, 2009

    Hi Lynne! I love wildflowers, especially the blue ones, they're so pretty!

    Btw, would you like to join me on A Walk In The Woods?

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  3. Hi Lynne! I love being out in the country! We used to use the cattails as "candles" or "incense" and called them "punks!" Wildflowers, a red tractor, an historic shed, and sheets hung out to dry--it really is a beautiful lifestyle. LOVE xxox

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  4. Thank you for taking me along on your morning walk. Soon I will invite friends on a similar one in the green groves of Tuscany, where I will escape to. The Roman heat is too much...
    Ciao,
    Lola

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  5. Hi Saj: I have a few gardener friends who know the names--including the Latin ones, of course--for every green growing thing we come across. If we go on a walk together they can name all the plants. I've never felt the need myself. But then, neither do I feel the need to garden. I guess I'm lacking that gene.

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  6. Hi Rain--I'm happy to hear you call them blue ones, too! I enjoyed my first stroll over at your new digs.

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  7. Hi Margaret: Do the cattails actually smell decent and burn well? I'm afraid to try! Mostly they're just left to turn to fluff around here. When we first moved here we cut a bunch and kept them in a bucket on the porch for decoration. I have since gotten over country chic! Yes, I have learned to appreciate the small, quiet beauties of rural scenery.

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  8. Ciao Lola! I can't wait to escape to Tuscany with you! We visited Tropea in the south of Italy a couple of years ago, where I understand many Romans also escape to during the hot summer, but I think even there would be too hot for me (we were there in April/May). Buon viaggio!

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  9. Hi Lynne (or are you Madlynne)

    that was a lovely walk in the grasses and wildflowers. Whatever the blue flowers are they are like paper cutouts - so pretty.

    Did you post these two parts separately that they have come up as two posts?
    Your environs look so green and fresh, and peaceful too...

    Happy days

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  10. Hi Lynne,

    Been on holidays from work and computers and am just getting around to visiting your blog. You've been doing some wonderful stuff indeed. I may try the Song Saturday - sounds like fun ~

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  11. Dear Lynne,
    I am kicking myself for being SO SLOW, such an unobservant idiot at times... jeeeeesh, I only just figured out, and that at your suggestion, that I try clicking your portrait at upper right of your page to go to your art site... under my nose all these times I've been on your blog, and NEVER noticed that little detail there... and omg, just went to look there this evening for the very first time... WOW ! That's all I can say. Will have to go back and look more carefully !

    So, (there's that "so" again) thanks for the walk through the wildflowers and fenceposts today, and thanks for the museum tour of your paintings... what a day !

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  12. Hi Delwyn: I'm glad you enjoyed the ramble round these green hills. I've learned over time to find beauty in what's generally seen as ordinary. Gad, that sounds a bit pretentious! Simple pleasures, I guss is all I'm saying. I did post these separately,but back to back at the same session. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

    Really, I'm Lynne, but Madlynne comes out at my zanier moments. ;-)

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  13. Kibbles! There you are! I was afraid the driftwood and turtle had floated off to sea in search of warmer climes. Thank you so much for the Shrines book. I love it! (please see my post of July 4). I look forward to singing along with your songs on Saturdays if you choose to accept the assignment. Great to have you back.

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  14. Owen. You do okay for an unobservant idiot. In fact, I'm rather partial to such clods. For example, I wore for the first time today a very decollete summer frock of brilliant hues and my own grenouille (Quebec variety) failed to notice or comment. And yet, I allowed him to live. :-/

    You can, I'm afraid, find out more about me than is perhaps wise to share over at my website. Did you also notice that I have 2 other blogs? Ragzedge where I post what I'm working on in my studio these days, and Arteologie where I post one of my cartoons every Sunday. I mean, it's okay if you don't go there but just so you know.

    This has been a public service announcement. For deaf, dumb and blind clods (but they sure play a mean pinball!) ;-)

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  15. I'm surprised he's alive ! Mine would have murdered me...

    Will definitely do some looking around this weekend... you sure have alot of irons in the proverbial fire... :-D

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  16. Irons in the fire, yes, but not on the ironing board. ;-)

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