Thursday, August 03, 2006

Queen Anne's Lace


Katherine Hepburn loved to bring arm-fulls of Queen Anne's Lace into her home. It occurs to me that that I've never collected it for indoors and I don't know why. I've always loved it, fiddled with it on my walks - even photographed it as you see above. Hmmmm. But why not bring it indoors? I think I know. It's been such a long time since I'd tried to gather it that I'd forgotten. It doesn't want to leave the beauty at the meadow's edge, the light brush of the shy doe as she pauses to check the field for safe passage. Try to pluck the wild carrot and find a stalk so tough and fibrous that your hands lose heart in the task. Try! (Take some tough old shears if you're determined to have it snowing on your mantel in August:0)

4 comments:

Anvilcloud said...

Never tried that either.

Bonita said...

I've got some wild parsnip that has lovely foliage and slight bloom. I put it in a vase, even if it doesn't last long. It makes a nice backdrop for the flowers in my garden.

Casey said...

I love Queen Anne's Lace -- when I was a kid I thought it was so pretty; somewhere along the way, someone told me it was "a weed." Isn't it usually (or often?) growing alongside another pretty weed, something with a smaller purple flower, and thick stems?

P.S. -- I still can't figure out how you take these pictures... I've tried! My camera must be no good.

Cathy said...

Hi Casey - Right! Chicory also grows alongside roadways where Queen Anne's lace is blooming. I believe the roots were used as a substitue for or to enhance coffee flavor.