Pretty, pretty, pretty, what?!

Some close up weed shots from Dead Creek. Some sort of aster, I think, a milkweed pod, just split open, and Queen Anne's Lace. The last picture? More in a sec.

The purple flower that I think is some sort of aster caught my eye, and was the reason I pulled over. The whole plant is dry and brown and a few of these lovely purple flowers persist. There's a lesson there, I think.

Milkweed. When the plant is still green, we often find chrysalides on them - Monarch Butterflies to be. This year was a bumper crop - the butterflies are still hanging around, but not for much longer. Monarchs from here migrate to central Mexico, then return here in the spring to lay eggs. 3000 miles each way - it's a remarkable feat for such a tiny thing. No wonder the Very Hungry Caterpillar ate so much!

The Queen Anne's lace pic? It's always been among my favourite weeds - my mom got bouquets of it all summer for many years. I seem to recall my sister was more fond of ragweed bouquets. And dandelions.



And finally, a bizarre collection of weird fabrics. That's the back of my string quilt. In my insistence to be frugal, I'm using yardage I have for the back sections. The top one's Debbie Mumm, the second is Joann's, then Balson-Erlanger, cheap Indian batik, weird-o coffee and postcard print, Northcott I think, Joann again, some crap I got suckered into online (Debbie Mumm again, I think), and a real Bali batik. Do they "go"? Nope. Do I care? Why? It's the back! The sections are layered with flannel, though I had initially pulled some Hobb's Heirloom. Heavy doesn't even begin to describe that pile, and I changed my mind quickly. Rolling over in bed should not be aerobic. I'll start quilting that when I get time, but it's ready for basting spray whenever the opportunity presents itself.