John has worked in basically the same location at Boeing Field for over 30 years, and the building where he spends his 6 am to 2:30 pm shift has no external windows. (This makes him pretty much a saint in my eyes, since I would go completely bonkers without big gobs of natural light each and every day.) Add to that the frustration of working for an airplane company that can't seem to build airplanes anymore. So in the summer before dinner, he strolls around the garden with his wine glass to check out the flowers and hopefully build up some vitamin D stores for the dark months ahead.Our afternoon sun is intense this time of year, with sunset still after 9 pm and light until after 10. It seems like an awful thing to complain about the long bright days, but it is hard to go to sleep when your neighbors are bouncing balls outside at 9 pm, and just as hard to stay asleep when the robins start in at 3:45. Everyone is sleep-deprived in June, and John tells me there is lots of dozing off in meetings at Boeing this time of year-- no wonder.
The plant towering over him is a magnificent weed called a mullein, and I have no idea where it came from. I did a little research and found out it actually has some medicinal properties. According to legend, it also wards off witches and does other useful things.
The plant towering over him is a magnificent weed called a mullein, and I have no idea where it came from. I did a little research and found out it actually has some medicinal properties. According to legend, it also wards off witches and does other useful things.
Might want to save that mullein! Tom likes to remind me that if ever the world's vast supply of toilet paper were to run out, this is what I would have to replace the copious amounts of paper products that I know and love.
ReplyDeleteWell, it IS soft and fuzzy :-)
ReplyDeleteThe TP value of the mullein is something I will leave to others to verify.
ReplyDeleteBut when I was doing field work with Ralph Haugerud in the North Cascades we took a risk with a broad-leafed plant he called "false hellibore". Glossy on the upper surface and slightly fuzzy on the side that doesn't see the sun. I still use it for alpine emergencies.