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The Ironweed Festival

Tuesday, September 2, 2014


Here's a concept. Pick something you love and create an event around it. It doesn't have to be a big deal. Just invite a few friends over to appreciate it.

Late summer. Ironweed bloom. Blue sky time. Whatever.
Call it the Ironweed Festival.





Allis-Chalmers sitting in a field time.



Little black dog crossing a sunspot time.

Ironweed painting the meadow time.


It's hard to photograph, to do it justice. This is an old cow pasture, where the cattle ate everything they liked and left what they didn't. Which turns out to be ironweed. Inedible by cattle, though I've seen deer  clip the leaves off from time to time.


Joe-pye weed was contending for top billing in the wet meadows.


Wingstem wanted placement on the marquee as well. We were happy to oblige. Ironweed-Joe-Pye-Wingstem Festival.


And we were recording it for all we were worth. 



J. Studly Magruder posing for a new photo, King of the Ironweed. Those are binoculars, not some weird medieval codpiece. 


The Black Barn, drowning in a sea of purple. And to the left, my beloved chestnut log cabin, now just a pile of timbers crowned with a roof, courtesy the June 29, 2012 derecho. But oh, the landscape. It remains delicious.


A log end.


What's left of the cabin.


Lobelia syphilitica (Great Blue Lobelia) growing against its old timbers. Once used as a treatment for the clap. Good to know, right? You're welcome.


Shila and Tim, in ironweed.

3 comments:

I walk by scenes like this every summer and barely bat an eye... thanks for the reminder of the beauty therein (even that old "log end" looks like a stunning piece of art!)
[and pssst, uhh, m-m-maybe J.Studly had a pair of binoculars… but I think he was just really happy to see you.]

So wonderful. An aquaintance gave me seeds from her ironweed. Now if I can just get it to grow.....It will be one more thing for the neighbors to complain....er...admire....

Kathy in Delray Beach

Love this post and the one after continuing the Ironweed Festival.
Love the first photo of the black barn and purple flowers. But, then, I love all the photos--even the one with the codpiece.

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