Friday, July 16, 2010

Gone to seed - Maree

When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it's your world for the moment. I want to give that world to someone else. Most people in the city rush around so, they have no time to look at a flower. I want them to see it whether they want to or not.
- Georgia O'Keeffe



A farmer friend's carrots have all gone to seed and have formed these gorgeous flowers, not unlike Queen Anne's Lace. Did you know that Carrots are from the Parsley family?

The Parsley Family includes some wonderful edible plants like the carrot and parsnip, plus more aromatic spices found in your spice cabinet, such as anise, celery, chervil, coriander, caraway, cumin, dill, fennel and of course, parsley. But unlike the Mustard or Mint families, the Parsleys are not all safe for picking and eating. In fact, the Parsley family is among the most important families of plants to learn, since it includes the deadliest plants in North America: poison hemlock and water hemlock. Note that the hemlock tree is totally unrelated. The wild carrot is the same species, but a different variety than the carrots we grow and eat.

12 comments:

  1. Beautiful painting and I just learned a lot about parsley. I didn't know most of that. I do love spices and cooking with them.

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  2. thanks a lot Deanna, and thanks for stopping by!

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  3. This is lovely, Maree...one of my favorites of yours!

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  4. Great page & painting, Maree! Love the info too!

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  5. Thank you Kate! I'm crawling around on the ground more these days doing "sketchy" things rather than 'painting'!

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  6. Thanks PJ, also learnt a lot from my carrot friend!

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  7. Your lovely carrot flower immediatly reminded me of Queen Anne's Lace. When I mowed my backyard today I made sure I didn't mow down all my trefoil, nor the Queen Anne's Lace. Now I just need some chickory to mix in with the Queen Anne's lace. They look so pretty together.

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  8. They certainly will look wonderful together Elva! Give us a couple of sketches when you've got that done! Regards

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  9. This is just beautiful! I love the colors and soft tectures in the seedhead.

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  10. Thank you Elizabeth! Thanks for stopping by, much appreciated!

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