slsommer 

My MIL finds Goldenrod so lovely, she always brings a bouquet in for her living room. Did so even when Goldenrod was erroneously blamed for fall allergies ("Doesn't make me sneeze," she'd say. "Isn't it pretty?")

And she was right.

Ragweed's to blame for most hay fever, blooming at the same time as Goldenrod. I didn't know there were so many varieties of Goldenrod, but shouldn't have been surprised. Native to the Americas, it's been a garden plant in Europe and has naturalized itself there, too. Thomas Edison (according to Wikipedia) produced rubber with it -- "However, even though Edison turned his research over to the U.S. government a year before his death, goldenrod rubber never went beyond the experimental stage."

"The variety Solidago virgaurea is a traditional kidney tonic. It has aquaretic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and antiseptic action and seems to increase kidney output."

www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/pl … enrodx.htm

I expect this to be my last post until Sept. 8  [though will update later this evening]  -- looking forward to Germany and Switzerland! Naturally, I'll have photos. Will try not to go on and on and on and on with them, however.

My mother had six children in nine years. I was second -- and oldest daughter. Guess who got to help? For a while, there were always babies; and babies meant bottles; and bottles meant bottle-washing.

And bottle washing meant bottle brushes. I don't believe I, myself, ever owned a baby bottle brush, not much needing them. However, I used them often enough as a child.

Here's a photo of Bottlebrush grass, Elymus hystrix, found in every county in Illinois.
www.illinoiswildflowers.info/grasses/pl … ebrush.htm

Crazy day: two sets of grandkids in the morning, a written report for a committee I chair due before we leave and travel to and from St. Louis for a baseball game. Good thing I was ahead of my stepping goal -- but it won't take long for my lead to evaporate!

Cardinals won, 18-3, over the Atlanta Braves. As ever, people watching was interesting.

This px is for @Mary (check her 8/20 blog)

Walk to Union Road and back, leisurely breakfast -- then an hour of vacuuming. On the road to home by a bit after noon. Need rain in Michigan and found some at home. Will try to send it your way, Marty. Hope to add more steps tonight, rain or no rain. Maybe the bike, or...

Here's a close-up of the cup plant from yesterday, showing how it gets its common name. The leaves form a cup, holding water when it rains. Speaking of water -- here's also a photo of another cup, this one part of a set given to me for my birthday by DSis2 (better known as @Mary) for use in our cabin. Used for the first time. DSis2 has the knack of knowing just what gifts will be really appreciated.

However did I manage to type in 29,000+ steps? That was wrong! Here's the correct total.

Perfect day: great early walk to Union Road and back where I ID'd as shingle oaks some trees I was curious about last spring (but hadn't brought my camera, maybe tomorrow); went on a boat ride; invited my cousin over for dessert and made some ice cream; got my mandolin practiced; AND went swimming. New PB as a 61-year-old: did 20 minutes of breast stroke.

Here's a photo of a cup plant, Silphium perfoliatum, another from the Aster family. These are growing wild in our wooded area at home -- we also planted some in our landscaping. The opposite leaves join to form a cup which collects and holds water. Here's a link with details:
www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/pl … plantx.htm

Busy, busy day, ending up at the cabin for a quick break -- yes! But not many steps, just another batch of tomatoes and a bunch of errands!

Forty years ago today -- Queen Anne's Lace, Black-eyed Susans, Daisies and sweethearts.

Regular long walk in late afternoon (lazed away the early morning before church, then out to eat). Watched the Olympics while riding the stationery bike. Maybe will get more steps yet tonight -- though I still feel sort of lazy.

Maybe this is a Pipevine Swallowtail, Battus philenor though there are butterflies which mimic it, and I don't know the pipevine. For good reason, I don't believe it's in Illinois. So... ? Feeding on the toxic pipevine protects the caterpillars, just as feeding on the milkweed protects the Monarch caterpillars. Let me know if you know more about this butterfly than I do.

www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/pipe … owtail.htm
www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=1350

Ate Mexican at Navy Pier -- a relatively fast, kid-friendly place; and here you see all five of the grandkids in attendance and none of the adults (who were the actual consumer of the adult drinks you see on the table. Zachary, Andy, Becca, Kaelin and Anna. DD2 wisely chose not to join us this year. Would have been too much for the three-year-old twins, plus her sister-in-law was unavailable to watch the baby (well he's almost still a baby, even if he's walking!)

Got the steps the usual way -- plus using the stationery bike while watching the women's marathon (left it to add my steps here, though)

So I did go back and watch Michael! YES! (I saw Mark Spitz, too) and the Aussie women (Yes!) and Dora Torres (Hooray for the oldies!) then took Sallie out for a two-round cul-de-sac victory lap.

Shedd Aquarium was wonderful--but after a day full of counting kids' heads (1-2-3-4-5, ok we're set for the next exhibit), who was there to greet us as we exited the aquarium? A handy boat taxi greeter, that's who: "How would you like to take the kids on a boat ride to Navy Pier, ride the Ferris Wheel, maybe get some adult drinks?" he asked.

Sounded really good to us, and we took him up on it.

"So tell me," he asked as DH paid the fare, "which part of the pitch got you? It was the 'adult drinks,' wasn't it?"

'Twas that. And a beautiful sunny day on Lake Michigan with a whole slew of anchored sail boats waiting for weekend sailers. After being indoors most of the day, the boat ride looked promising.

Fulfilled its promise, too. Here is the Chicago Loop as seen from the boat taxi. It's a beautiful Chicago, one I come as close to loving as I can love any city. More graceful than Sandburg lets on:

"Hog Butcher for the World,
Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat,
Player with Railroads and the Nation's Freight Handler;
Stormy, husky, brawling,
City of the Big Shoulders..."

Well. Hm. Shedd Aquarium walking, like zoo and museum walking doesn't get tracked well with an Omran. Still a great day, and may be able to post a px or more info at the least by tomorrow.

Must get myself a long lens. Some day. Surprised some goldfinches on these Helianthus divaricatus, Woodland Sunflower, http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=HEDI2

The finches must have been working on seeds, and I have decided this is the woodland sunflower, NOT the False Sunflower as I first thought. Leaves are different.

So I missed a photo of the finches, and I also missed a photo of a couple of Kingfishers working the creek; and I missed some chickadees working the sunflowers, too. Trouble with birds is they startle (!) Trouble with the long lens is -- it's long and one more cumbersome thing to carry. Can tell I'm not a TRUE birder, can't you?

Banjo Club tonight had several members I'd never met before -- and they were Good with a capital G. Good as in intimidating. Don't know where they've been -- probably off not needing those of us (read me) who can't keep up with them. Just a tiny bit of a downer. Well. Won't let it be one. (Why should I be able to keep up with these guys who have been playing for years? I've been playing for year singular and a half, so I AM doing ok.) Sorry about that whine.

Oh, and off to Chicago tomorrow on the train with some, but not all of our grandkids and Jim taking the day of (with some complaining, but doing it anyway) to Shedd Aquarium. Back tomorrow night.

Tomato time. Picked a half bushel this morning, then boiled them down, strained them and got 8.5 quarts of juice. Bring on winter and vegetable soup!

DD2 and three kids were camped out here all day (and tomorrow too), so got a few kid-related steps plus my regular walks. Putting an addition on DD2's house and they cut through the walls today plus removed the existing stairwell. Not safe for kids. The not-so-fun part of remodeling.

Long day. On the road by 6:30 to St. Louis for three-month check up and scans. What should have been a shorter day was complicated by delays: new students were trailing the doctor, slowing her down; then, late getting into my second scan; finally in -- and it was scheduled incorrectly. Couldn't do a bone density after a CT. Bummer. Have to reschedule it.

Nevertheless -- the CT scan was good -- still holding strong! So next CT won't be for SIX months (this after a year and a half of monthly CTs and MRIs). Really good news (despite not getting home until 6 p.m. -- so walk after that)

Here's a damselfly -- though there's a couple of blue ones, so I don't know which one. Difference between damselflies and dragonflies apparently is the way they hold their wings. They are helpful insects, eating mosquitoes, among other things. This was  taken on our lower trail on a daylily leaf where they like to hang out. I see them there daily. www.cirrusimage.com/damselfly.htm

I’ll show you where the spider web
Has caught the morning dew
If you just come along with me,
You’ll get to see it, too.

I’ll show you where the white-tailed deer
Lay hidden in the grass
Before she heard of our approach
And slipped to watch us pass.

We’ll see where groundhogs sleep at night
And smell the striped-skunk’s bed —
And check which raspberries are ripe
It’s black we want, not red.

But wear your walking shoes, my sweet,
The dew is heavy there
And grab a walking stick as well —
The path’s not beaten clear.

For many are the ones who think
There’s nothing new to see
And leave the breaking of the path
To such as you and me.

            sls August 2008

Sort of slow getting started, then let myself be stopped by rain to boot, which was silly of me because after that I played catch-up. Had a fund-raising supper tonight for the Tiber Creek park improvement in the heart of town -- a project DH has been helping with. Will post a px of it one of these days, but not yet.

Here's a photo of Culvers Root, Veronicastrum virginicum of the Snapdragon family taken in our woods. www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/culverx.htm Culver's Root occurs throughout Illinois. The surname 'Culver' probably refers to a pioneer physician who advocated the use of this plant for the treatment of various ailments.

Which I find interesting. Our own history books have under reported the knowledge and use of Native Americans' herbal remedies.

According to www.drugs.com/npp/culver-s-root.html the first documented use of culver's root was when Puritan leader Cotton Mather requested it as a remedy for his daughter's tuberculosis in 1716. Culver's root was used by early physicians as a powerful laxative and emetic. Native American tribes also used the plant and drank tea preparations to induce vomiting and to help cleanse the blood. Herbalists have used culver's root for its ability to increase the flow of bile from the liver.

"Tomorrow, I'll be inspecting in Proehl field -- first field I ever detasseled," Jim said.

"Really?" We're talking about nearly 50 years ago, here.

"Yes. Those machines were nothing. Wouldn't go in the mud. Weren't tall enough. Weren't enough of them. Had to walk often as not. I remember the church doing detasseling. Must have been a fund-raiser of some sort."

So here's the field. Irrigation system on the right -- this is in the sandy area near the Illinois River. Farmstead on the hill on the left -- most farmsteads were built on the small hills or rises to get them out of the low-lying fields.

Hm. 50 years, and he's right back in fields shedding pollen.

Whoa! Last of the grandkids just left (6 p.m.) Don't know if I'll be able to reach my daily goal or not anymore before I turn in tonight -- but I'll give it a try.

Had great fun, though, including hot dogs over the fire with s'mores. Kids had marshmallow all over themselves, so all 7 had baths or showers before bed. This afternoon, after the youngest two went home, the others went to the creek. Guess what? They all had showers again before their parents returned. Mud, mud, mud.

Photo is of cousins Kaelin and Becca. Cuties, aren't they?

Early morning walk, no heat advisory today. Then a grandkid sleepover while two sets of parents went to the ball game and third, unable to attend the game, were delighted to receive an invitation for their kids' to a sleepover. Well... what can I say?

Long before grandkids showed up, got this shot of my now immediate family: Jim, who pretends to not like Gracie the cat (who thinks her name is Kitty) and Sallie (who thinks she'll accept us as family). My office, btw.

Do you think there's a story in these tracks? I thought maybe a mouse got caught -- a theory strengthened when Sallie sniffed out a small fresh partial skeleton of something or other, picked clean and surrounded by some bird droppings. But the tracks don't match the mouse track drawings I have from www.bear-tracker.com. More like a chipmunk, which is also possible. Don't know about the larger tracks, either -- but they're sort of like a raccoon's. Do raccoons eat chipmunks? Maybe no story at all -- just a track crossing.

Storm early this morning brought down some limbs in our neighbor's section of woods and made a mess for them (but not for us). Also eliminated my early morning walk.

A power surge knocked out my coffee maker, though. Panic time. Well, not panic. Heated water on the stove and poured it through the grounds for an emergency cup of java. Then it was to Farm and Fleet for a new coffee maker -- followed by a trip to the eye doctor to pick up my new glasses, and a trip to the crop protection place to get our bottom land transferred -- and still no walk.

After lunch, then, and into the heat which wasn't as bad as yesterday, but still too hot for a long walk with Sallie. She sat down.