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TO WEED OR NOT TO WEED THAT IS THE QUESTION

ginninejosete

I had a great conversation with some girlfriends a couple of weeks ago about what a weed is. My friend said that a weed is defined as a plant growing where you don't want it to grow. My second friend then replied that she had a tomato plant that had seeded itself and so that would be considered a weed by that definition. She was right.

I was out in my garden weeding the carrots and I found three beautiful snapdragon flowers in full bloom buried under the mat of bindweed. There they were in their simple beauty and it made me so happy I had to stop what I was doing immediately, sit down in the dirt that I love so much, and take in the unexpectedness of them. They were growing perfectly in the carrot row. The row went like this....carrot, carrot, carrot, snapdragon, snapdragon, snapdragon, carrot, carrot, carrot, etc. so I had to conjecture that the snapdragon seeds were in with the carrot seeds. What a remarkable mistake in the manufacturing process. I feel I should write to the company and thank them for this moment of pure joy.

I then picked a basketful of lamb's quarters and wild amaranth for our lunch. Later I would steam it with some of my malabar spinach and melt butter on top. A dash of salt and pepper and we would have a delicacy no grocery store will ever offer. Those too are weeds worth nurturing in my garden and I have done so all summer long. We have consumed pounds and pounds of weeds and I'm guessing our iron levels are much the better for it.

As I was heading back into the house I stopped to gaze across the street to my neighbor's front yard where her goldenrod is currently in full bloom and spectacular. I put everything down and ventured across with my phone in hand to take some photos. I was extremely happy to find some of my bees munching happily on her goldenrod flowers and it made me pause to know that those "weeds" would be converted to honey eventually and that honey would end up on our table. I will give her some to thank her for her contribution. #gardening #NaturePhotography #bees #honey #foraging



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Amanda
Amanda
Aug 26, 2021

So many wonderful gifts that could have just been seen as weeds. And I love your photos!!

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