Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “The Magic Box 111221” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.
As the full color of the Appalachian Forest fades its easy to overlook the more subtle treasures of nature. The seedbox is one such treasure. When it’s in bloom it’s a pleasing yellow flower but when the fruit forms the intricate orngish pod looks like something out of Rivendell. It even has a decorative top.
Image Titled “Seedbox 21521a” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.
I’ve only found it growing wild in one place but it’s been there faithfully for years. Every year in late Fall through Early Spring I make occasional pilgrimages to this spot to remind myself that even when my forest sleeps beauty abounds. Appalachia in winter becomes a wonderland of textures. The tiny seedbox is one of more exotic forms native to my area but it’s not the only one. It’s this time of year when you really begin to notice things like the pods of black locust and the salmon pink tones of river birch. The fluted trunk and branches of Hornbeam also comes to mind. On those days when it’s not too cold to enjoy a walk take a look around and appreciate the beauty that’s normally hidden by the leaves.
Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.
Announcement 2.0
For those who have been following me on Facebook and know of the struggle content providers have to get circulation from big tech I’ve been recommending for people to adopt MeWe as a social media platform. One of the problems I’ve run into on MeWe is that people don’t know how to navigate the platform. So to help with that I’ve created a permanent page on my website as a basic Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe I’ve tried to anticipate all basic questions there and You can bookmark the page to have as a reference and if you have any questions or suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me. I do still have a day job and I help admin several pages on both platforms so replies might be a little slow but I will answer you.
We also have the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe that is set up as a fully functional community. There you’ll not only be able to see and connect with me but you can also make your own posts and interact with each other.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.
If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.
I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simply use the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.
Clicking on the photo takes you tohttps://www.zazzle.com/lloydslensphotos?rf=238248269630914251Lastly, all of the photos and writings are my original work unless otherwise specified and are not to be copied or reproduced without expressed written permission from the photographerThank you again for your support of my page!♥️
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Blue Lobelia 110621” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.
Please remember that Forage Friday is presented as trivia and not to be mistaken for medical advice.
⚠️ Lobelia contains a host of toxic alkaloids, including many with structural similarities to nicotine. Overdoses of the plant induce vomiting, sweating, pain, paralysis, low temperature, rapid but feeble pulse, collapse, coma, and even death.
Tonight I’m going to be blending two different categories on my blog. For the past week I’ve been running the Travler series which is set sometime after the Civil War but before the year 1900. Since one of the characters (Malachi) was a physician prior to returning to the life of a Trapper in the Appalachian Mountains he would have been familiar with vast number of useful herbs. Which allows me to continue the story without skipping a Forage Friday post.
Frost clung to Daniel’s wool cloak as the smell of coffee brewing in the pre-dawn forest aroused him from his slumber. He pushed back his hood slightly and saw Malachi seated on three thick sticks gathered from the forest floor. The sticks formed a low tripod and were laid out in such a way as that they supported each other while holding the big man aloft. Malachi hummed softly as he tended to his birch bark cooking pot that sat directly in the hot coals. “Breakfast is just about ready.” He spoke without even looking to see if Daniel reacted. Daniel couldn’t figure out how Malachi knew that he was awake. But in the short time since he met Malachi he sensed that Malachi was always aware of more than he let on. Malachi sat a hand carved cup on a flat rock next to a second tripod and motioned for Daniel to come and sit for breakfast. As Daniel sat precariously on the three sticks Malachi chuckled a little and handed him his own small birch bark pot full of breakfast soup. The single piece of bark was folded at the corners and the folds were held in place by split twigs. The soup consisted of a broth made from fresh gathered herbs and hen of the woods mushroom. The chicken flavored mushroom was a welcome change to the jerky and dried fruit that Daniel had subsided on for weeks. As he ate his meal he noticed a bundle of blue flowers near Malachi’s pack. Malachi observed Daniel’s curiosity and explained that it was Lobelia. Normally it would die back at this time of year but the heat from large rocks near the falls extended the growing season. It was Malachi’s belief that the Good Lord had caused them to be there in a time and place where they would be needed. Malachi also said that they could be used for breathing problems, to sweat out a cold, heal bruises and skin infections as well as to settle the nerves of anyone in Alexandra’s group who may be hysterical from the hardships of their journey.
Blue lobelia is a close relative of one of the Appalachian Mountains favorite wildflowers. The cardnial flower. Modern science suspects that lobelia may contain a chemical that thins the mucus and makes it easier to cough and expell congestion. Thus in the time frame that our story takes place it would have been used for asthma and other lung ailments. The Native Americans used it in treatment of VD. Because one of the components is similar to nicotine it was used as a wormer as well.
That’s it for tonight’s Forage Friday! Please let me know if you like the format of using fiction to cover the plant’s attributes. Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.
Announcement 2.0
For those who have been following me on Facebook and know of the struggle content providers have to get circulation from big tech I’ve been recommending for people to adopt MeWe as a social media platform. One of the problems I’ve run into on MeWe is that people don’t know how to navigate the platform. So to help with that I’ve created a permanent page on my website as a basic Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe I’ve tried to anticipate all basic questions there and You can bookmark the page to have as a reference and if you have any questions or suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me. I do still have a day job and I help admin several pages on both platforms so replies might be a little slow but I will answer you.
We also have the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe that is set up as a fully functional community. There you’ll not only be able to see and connect with me but you can also make your own posts and interact with each other.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.
If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.
I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simply use the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.
Clicking on the photo takes you tohttps://www.zazzle.com/lloydslensphotos?rf=238248269630914251Lastly, all of the photos and writings are my original work unless otherwise specified and are not to be copied or reproduced without expressed written permission from the photographerThank you again for your support of my page!♥️
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Sentinel Over The Water 101121” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.
The big blue truck drifts slowly along the quiet countryside as I carefully observe the landscape for movement along the creek. His swift wings carry him from a branch near the road to his chosen station above the water as they have many times before. Except this time there’s no chattering alarm call. Kingfishers are the self-appointed tattle-tells of the forest on my mountain. Along with the Bluejays and crows they feel that it’s their sworn duty to abruptly annouce the arrival of any humans. I’ve actually been trying to get a decent photo of this little guy since Spring of last year. Usually if I get within fifty yards of his perch he takes to the wind and shatters the silence with his rattling call. (Video is not mine but it is a great example)
However, on this particular day I must have caught him daydreaming because I was able to get closer than ever. The exception being that sometimes if I’m out in the yard doing chores he’ll circle above me and mark my position with the same call before disappearing upstream. The ruckus of course always sends the other wildlife fleeing for the dense clusters of bushes on the other side of the mountain. I was happy to get this close to him but I think that with a little more luck I can get closer. It may even be that with enough regular encounters I might even gain a little trust. Unlike the other songbirds of my mountain the kingfishers seem to only be interested in live food. They feed mainly on the minnows or sometimes they go for salamanders or frogs but they have no interest in the seeds or suet I stock the feeders with. So they don’t really see people as an asset like the other birds do. The Bluejays have even gotten somewhat used to me and have made the connection between me and the free meals they enjoy all winter. The kingfishers will take a little more work I suppose.
Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.
Announcement 2.0
For those who have been following me on Facebook and know of the struggle content providers have to get circulation from big tech I’ve been recommending for people to adopt MeWe as a social media platform. One of the problems I’ve run into on MeWe is that people don’t know how to navigate the platform. So to help with that I’ve created a permanent page on my website as a basic Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe I’ve tried to anticipate all basic questions there and You can bookmark the page to have as a reference and if you have any questions or suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me. I do still have a day job and I help admin several pages on both platforms so replies might be a little slow but I will answer you.
We also have the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe that is set up as a fully functional community. There you’ll not only be able to see and connect with me but you can also make your own posts and interact with each other.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.
If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.
I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simplyuse the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.
Clicking on the photo takes you tohttps://www.zazzle.com/lloydslensphotos?rf=238248269630914251Lastly, all of the photos and writings are my original work unless otherwise specified and are not to be copied or reproduced without expressed written permission from the photographerThank you again for your support of my page!♥️
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Mid Air Standoff 91021” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.
Never ignore the small lives that share our world. It took over 100 years of development to produce a fighter jet with the capability of maneuvering like a hoverfly. And even then I believe that the hoverfly could probably teach the F22 a few moves. What I witnessed in the insect world wasn’t as much of a fight as it was two minds with the same great idea attempting to occupy a spot that was too small for both of them. If was really a lot like two people who keep bumping into each other in the tiny aisle of a Walmart. They just had a hard time staying out of each other’s way. They would both land on the top flower but soon one would nudge the other a little and both would spring into the air and fly a dazzling pattern only to end up on the same spot again. Hoverflies may look like bees but they have no sting and no weaponry if any kind that I’m aware of. So they rely on evasive flights with zigzags and tight circles. They can even do high speed 180s that would produce crushing G forces for a human pilot. They’re really marvels of engineering. The wings of a hoverfly beat at 120 beats per second. Compare that with a hummingbird who’s wings top out at only 80 beats per second. The land speed works out to just under eight miles per hour but when you consider that in terms of body length it’s pretty impressive for a creature that’s only about 1/4 of an inch long. That means that the hoverfly can cover over two million times it’s body length in one hour. Usain Bolt is currently the fastest sprinter in the world at 28 miles per hour or 960 times his body length.
Eventually the little hoverflies each found their own flowers to enjoy and the mini airshow ended. But those tiny wings are amazing!
Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.
Announcement 2.0
For those who have been following me on Facebook and know of the struggle content providers have to get circulation from big tech I’ve been recommending for people to adopt MeWe as a social media platform. One of the problems I’ve run into on MeWe is that people don’t know how to navigate the platform. So to help with that I’ve created a permanent page on my website as a basic Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe I’ve tried to anticipate all basic questions there and You can bookmark the page to have as a reference and if you have any questions or suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me. I do still have a day job and I help admin several pages on both platforms so replies might be a little slow but I will answer you.
We also have the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe that is set up as a fully functional community. There you’ll not only be able to see and connect with me but you can also make your own posts and interact with each other.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.
If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.
I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simplyuse the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.
Clicking on the photo takes you tohttps://www.zazzle.com/lloydslensphotos?rf=238248269630914251Lastly, all of the photos and writings are my original work unless otherwise specified and are not to be copied or reproduced without expressed written permission from the photographerThank you again for your support of my page!♥️
Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Sunshine After Rain 82821” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.
Please remember that Forage Friday is presented as trivia and not to be mistaken for medical advice.
FULL DISCLOSURE: I’m not positive about the identity of the sunflowers in tonight’s post. They Sunflowers but I’m on the fence about if they’re Woodland Sunflower or Pale Leaf Sunflower or if I have photos of both species. While online sources say that both species produce edible parts I’m only able to confirm that Pale Leaf Sunflower has edible roots.
Nothing signals that we’re in the last days of Summer like the appearance of sunflowers. In our modern world we think of sunflowers as giants with huge blossoms full of large seeds to roasted and covered with salt. And the they are wonderful! However, that hybrid comes to us from Russia. But it’s not necessarily alien to North America. The history of the giant sunflowers that we all know and love started in the New World when Native Americans began to cultivate a particular type of yellow flower that blooms in August. I’m not sure what species of sunflowers were the first and there’s several to choose from. Jerusalem Artichoke has the most widely used roots and are available in stores. They’re often grown in gardens and were important to rural families because they produced massive amounts of edible tubers. They do escape the garden and are often found in the wild but there’s already quite a bit of information about them on the internet. The same goes for the iconic giant sunflowers that are grown commercially.
The living ancestors of both of these plants would have looked a lot like the one in tonight’s Feature Image. Only about four feet tall with flowers that are only a few inches in diameter. The wild sunflowers also have much smaller seeds that require a little more work to prepare.
Image Titled “inbound pollinator 82821”
Although small compared to the hybrid sunflowers the wild versions are highly productive. They make up the difference by producing multiple blooms and really drawing in the pollinators. The tiny sweat bee in the image above is probably less than one quarter inch long. But the bee is a mighty little powerhouse itself and soon this sunflower will have a bunch of ripe seeds that goldfinches absolutely love. I’ve observed from my feeders that goldfinches are messy eaters. I think that they drop as many seeds as they eat and thus help spread a colony of sunflowers.
Native Americans used the seeds from wild sunflowers to make flour or just eat out of hand. And even found that the unopened blossoms were delicious. Eventually the sunflowers spread to central and south America were the people cultivated them further and developed more productive races that eventually became separate species.
So here’s the thing about types of wild sunflowers. I’ve struggled to decide if I have Helianthus divaricatus which is Woodland Sunflower or Helianthus Stumosus which is Pale Leaf Sunflower. That’s important because the vast majority of online sources only list Pale Leaf Sunflower as a wild edible. Neither plant is considered toxic but when I see a difference in the amount of listings I have to presume that there’s a reason why one is giving preference above the other. And only Jerusalem Artichoke and Pale Leaf Sunflower are noted as having the edible tubers. There is something special about the tubers of the Jerusalem Artichoke which I suspect that Pale Leaf Sunflower shares and that’s the type of starch stored in it. It contains a substance known as Inulin and inulin is capable of helping diabetics control blood sugar. It digests slowly and thus stability is achieved.
Native Americans would grind the seeds of these wild sunflowers and boil the mass to release the oils in the seeds. In addition to food uses they used the sunflower oil as a base for paint. I’m not aware of Native Americans making soap but I do understand that at some point someone realized that the oil from sunflowers could be mixed with lye from wood ashes and made into soap.
Before signing off tonight I do want to point out that there are some look-alikes that are often found nearby wild sunflowers.
Wingstem 82821
The first being wingstem. The most noticeable difference between wingstem and sunflower is its namesake. The stem of wingstem has “wings” in the form of grasslike flanges running up the length of the stem and the seed head is more globe like. Wingstem isn’t listed as toxic but it’s said to taste awful.
Cutleaf Coneflower 82821
The next is cutleaf coneflower. I haven’t really researched it yet but it’s in the buttercup family and that means it’s potentially toxic. Notice the cone shape center of the flower that gets taller as it matures and the petals that seem to droop. I’ve noticed a few leaves that seem to opposite of each other but the overall pattern of leaf growth is the alternate pattern. It’s said that Native Americans used cutleaf coneflower as a detoxifying tonic in early Spring but I have not yet looked into it so for now it’s off the table.
That’s it for tonight’s Forage Friday! Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.
I currently share my posts to different groups on various social media platforms. Some groups have the comments shut off after a certain time period. That’s OK because our admins and moderators are volunteers and have busy lives of their own. They shouldn’t need to constantly babysit comments. But if you want to add your own thoughts to the post there’s a public comment section at the very bottom of the page on each post.
Announcement 2.0
For those who have been following me on Facebook and know of the struggle content providers have to get circulation from big tech I’ve been recommending for people to adopt MeWe as a social media platform. One of the problems I’ve run into on MeWe is that people don’t know how to navigate the platform. So to help with that I’ve created a permanent page on my website as a basic Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe I’ve tried to anticipate all basic questions there and You can bookmark the page to have as a reference and if you have any questions or suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me. I do still have a day job and I help admin several pages on both platforms so replies might be a little slow but I will answer you.
We also have the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe that is set up as a fully functional community. There you’ll not only be able to see and connect with me but you can also make your own posts and interact with each other.
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.
If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.
I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simplyuse the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.
Clicking on the photo takes you tohttps://www.zazzle.com/lloydslensphotos?rf=238248269630914251Lastly, all of the photos and writings are my original work unless otherwise specified and are not to be copied or reproduced without expressed written permission from the photographerThank you again for your support of my page!♥️
LLOYD'S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY LLC 