Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Heaven Outside My Door

My daughter found this this morning where her dad parks as we waited in the driveway for her school bus to come.




She took it as an omen that our days would be fantastic. She's going to ace her Science test, she said, and I'll have a good day at work. Shortly after she left, I saw a rabbit hopping lazily through my backyard, munching the tall green grass that's growing around our septic tank. Take all you want buddy, I thought. It's too soggy, so consider it your own personal buffet. Thanks for your help with taming our jungle.

I went outside to try and get a picture of our furry woodland lawnmower to share with all of you, but he had hopped out into the part of our yard that I lovingly have started calling our field of wild greens. We have A LOT of dandelions growing out back. I'm pretty sure they'd be safe to pick and eat if I only knew what to do with them. We don't use any herbicides or pesticides here, and it had been at least 3 years before we arrived that this homestead sat empty. (If you have any great greens recipes for a first-time forager, please pass them on!)

Instead of cute rabbit pictures to get you through this hump day, here are some other things I discovered unfolding around us. I need you help in identifying a few too if you wouldn't mind.
   
The Lilac Outside My Bedroom Window
What is this taller plant with the little flowers and heart shaped leaves on the tall stalk all pointed downward?

Are these chives?!? What do you think? They smell like onions when picked!
Please share: tell me what you think these plants are or something productive I can do with all these dandelions. I'd love to hear from my fellow homesteaders, farmers and friends. What sorts of heavenly things (sights or smells) are outside your door today?

5 comments:

  1. Those curly plants look a lot loke garlic scapes! I wonder what you would find if you dug up the bulb. I am not sure about the others--Ohio is so much like a jungle compared to SoDak and I haven't lived there for 13 years! I actually went to Medina High School--funny!

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  2. I thought so too Angie! Those I am fairly sure are safe~ everything thing I've read about OH plants says if it smells like onion you are okay. The other stuff with the purple flowers I think is Red Deadnettle, but I really am not sure.
    How funny that you used to live near here! I graduated from Brunswick High and went to school with a Bill Thomas. A relative of yours maybe?

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  3. Nah, Thomas is my married name. I graduated from Medina in 1992 as Angie Askew. I came across your blog and, after your writing blew me away, I saw you were from the Medina area! I thought it must be fate! I have really enjoyed reading your blog, you are immensely talented. :)

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  4. Thanks so much for your kind words~ I am glad you found me too!

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  5. Heather~ I love the smiley face in the driveway! What a wonderful, metaphorical find. Bread is gone, of course. Was Yummy! I am not the plant person, but somewhere in our boxes is a plant book that will help identify -- I'll go on safari this week and see if I can find it for you. Best, Teresa

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