Weeding was the primary task. The mild winter perhaps encouraged the abundance of Creeping Charlie. You may be surprised to learn that it was intentionally brought to North America by European settlers. Maybe our ancestors were influenced by a Greco-Roman doctor, Galen, who recommended it for
inflamed eyes, or the English herbalist, John Gerard (1545-1607) who believed that Creeping Charlie reduced ringing in the ears, according to Botanical.com.Regardless, on Saturday much of our energy focused on removing the thriving Creeping Charlie. Steve, a long term volunteer, and I spent most of the morning removing it from the strawberry patch. The winter really thinned out the patch. Or was it the rabbits? On Monday, my wife Ann, and I refreshed the patch with donated plants from Jennifer, a Regent neighbor. Today, I will add more plants donated by another Regent neighbor, Ann. Ann and I belong to a small group of retirees, "Going Forth." We meet once a month to talk about situations involving retirement and aging while applying lessons from Buddhism.
Here are two more volunteers, Ann N. and Laura, working in an area just west of the strawberry patch. Creeping Charlie also invaded the area. Ann's daughter and our daughter, Emily, were school buddies since Kindergarten. Now adults, the two are still in contact. Ann's daughter has twins who bring much happiness to Grandmother Ann. This season, Garlic Mustard, the terrorist of gardens, is hardly present throughout the Prospect Gardens. I am wondering why that is the case. It's a Eurasian native likely brought to North America by early European colonists as a food and medicinal plant. In late April, neighbors working in the nearby Glenwood Children's Park held a "Weed Feed" feasting on dishes that included Garlic Mustard.The park's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Glenwood-Childrens-Park-Madison-WI-163767666993119/) also mentions Stinging Nettle soup and recommended the roots of Burdock.
Stinging Nettles were in this area being observed by Steve in this picture. Steve has that determined look as he surveys the hillside. I managed to pull most of the plants with only a few stings on my wrists when my long sleeve shirt sleeve pulled up. The stinging sensation continued for nearly 24 hours.
We once again enjoyed Ann's, my wife, special homemade treat. Here's Ann N. (the Regent volunteer), Loren, Laura, and Steve enjoying Hungarian Kalacs . Thank you all for helping out. You deserved a break.
We enjoyed this wonderful pastry with lots of walnuts along with a yeast dough and based on Ann's Grandmother's recipe. I jokingly refer to Ann, as the Union Boss, since she makes sure we take breaks. I tend to forgot about time. .
The morning disappeared so quickly. We made some progress in removing the weeds with me acknowledging many still remain. Another session is scheduled for May 20th. Ann and I will most likely return before then, if the spirit moves us.
In the meantime, the blooms on the Red Bud, planted several years ago, are fading. A marker of time passing while broadcasting the beauty of this spring season. Spring also reminds of the impermanence of life in the midst of beauty. This picture was taken several weeks ago. I marvel at how this lovely sign of spring was once a scrawny twig. Steve brought the twig over and confidently put the twig in the ground. I kept my skepticism about its future to myself. The wonders of nature and an example of the tenacity of this particular Red Bud.
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