Milkweed – LLOYD'S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY LLC

Having Faith In The Future

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Breath Of Promise 102221” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

Just a little housecleaning before tonight’s story. There will be no post this Friday because my wife and I will be celebrating our wedding anniversary.

One by one the tiny seeds take flight in the strong autumn breezes. I watch as they climb into the air and seem to dance as they defy gravity. Of course for any plant the seeds represent the anticipation of a future and a promise from the creator that not only will life continue but that through the seeds they will be a part of future life. For the milkweed that means hosting the beautiful Monarch Butterfly and other insects that depend on it’s wellbeing. The simple thought for tonight is that it’s not enough to simply believe in a bright future. You must also prepare for it with the expectation your roll in it is important. And that you can’t just hold onto your preparation until you see the changes taking place. But you must release your assets in the full faith and trust that they will be received. The milkweed has no way of knowing that it’s seeds will find the right place to flourish. It’s obligated to yield up it’s seeds to the wind and trust that the promise of destiny will be fulfilled. That at least some of fruit of its summer season will survive the snow and ice and awaken in just the right place at just the right time to grow and bloom and become the beautiful thing that it was meant to be. We should also consider this in our lives as well. We all have something that we plan and dream for. When the time comes to release the fruit of our plans and preparations we do so in faith that at least some of it will find just the right place to flourish.

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.

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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.

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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!♥️

Forage Friday #127 Milkweed pods

Color Photography, Forage Friday, wildlife

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Milkweed Pod 1009a” and was taken specifically for Forage Friday. All photos found on my website are my original work unless otherwise specified and are 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. As an additional warning, milkweed does contain toxins that may have an adverse effect on your heart. Also, anyone can be allergic to any plants so if you choose to try a new plant please try very small amounts first and monitor yourself for adverse reactions. Please review the Universal Edibility Test provided by Backpacker in order to get an idea of if you might experience any issues with allergies. If you’re a cardiac patient then you should probably avoid this one.

There are few better things to enjoy other than a patch of milkweed being visited by monarch butterflies. I’ve always enjoyed milkweed as a source of butterflies and bees but I recently learned that if they’re processed right the young pods are not only edible but frequently enjoyed by a wide variety of people. In the spirit of full disclosure I haven’t tried them myself but they come with such wonderful reviews that it’s definitely on my list of things to try. I’m going to advise one more time that you pay close attention to the disclaimer at the top of the page and always check with multiple sources. Keep in mind that some people are going to be more sensitive to a plant than others. I recently saw a post on social media from a person who was knowledgeable and experienced in foraging wild mushrooms but the first time she tried hen of the woods she had a bad allergic reaction to it. Hen of the woods is a mushroom that’s extremely popular with people who forage and even brings top dollar in high end restaurants so it was a huge surprise for the person who got sick from it. So a little extra caution is always OK for the first time.

The first thing I learned about foraging milkweed pods was that you want the young pods. How young is something I’m not sure of yet but if you open the pod and see fibers it’s probably too late for foraging. The silky floss inside of a pod that’s too mature will make it stringy and probably not be a pleasant experience for you. However if you find them that are young enough the final product has been described as having the texture of a jalapeño popper without the spice. The inside of a properly cooked milkweed pod should be creamy like the cream cheese in a popper. So age of the pod is important.

Next is that milky sap that gives milkweed its name. Not only has it been used to remove warts in the past but it’s the source of the toxins. Fortunately, the toxins are water soluble and can be removed by boiling the pods. At least 2 changes of water are recommended by most sources but if you’re still seeing cloudy water after the second boiling then a third treatment will be a good idea. I’ll be including a video from an experienced person at the end of the article.

Milkweed Pod 100921d these pods may be too old to be foraged. They are turning dark on the ends wich is a sign that they are starting to dry out.

The flavor of the milkweed Pod at this point is said to be a bit bland but other people say it tastes like a pea Pod. But you can add your spices in the next step. You’ll want an egg to make an egg bath and a four mixture with your spices. Depending on how spicy you want it to be red pepper, paprika, salt and pepper, and Sriracha have all been recommended. Of course you’ll heat up a pan with oil and then brown the pods.

Before I close with the video from my friends at WVPBS I do want to point out that milkweed and the the highly toxic dogbane are in the same family and confusing them could be a fatal mistake. The toxins of dogbane are strong enough to stop your heart! Steffi Hone does an excellent job of showing you the difference between the two as well as a great way to cook the milkweed pods.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement 2.0

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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.

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The Closing Of The Dog Days 2021

Color Photography, wildlife

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Bumblebee Encounter 72921a” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact.

The Dog Days Of Summer began to wane ever so subtlety in my mountains. The humid air seems to be thick enough to actually swim through as I ebb softly to the edge of the swamp. The bumblebees are out en force dutifully collecting pollen from the swamp milkweed. Looking through the lens opens a window to their secret world of sweet scents and golden life giving pollen. As they collect a little here and a little there they ensure that they will have a new crop next year. The bumblebees are at peace with all. They’ve no time for jealousy and malice for as the dog days end their season reaches the tipping point when bloom will be scarce and the sun will slowly fall asleep. For in just eight short weeks the page will turn.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement 2.0

I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/lloydslensphotographydiscussiongroup

Click the link below to jump to the Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe.https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/guide-to-mewe/embed/#?secret=GJGnIQEVHc

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.

WELCOME TO LLOYD’S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

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A Feast At The Monarch’s Table

Color Photography, wildlife

Hello Friends! Tonight’s Feature Image is titled “Milkweed 62321” and is available for purchase by clicking the thumbnail and reaching out to me on the contact page.

It humid summer air seems thick enough to swim through as I ease my down the little single lane road. It seems like by this time last year there were butterflies everywhere but after the initial hatching in Spring I’ve seen only a few. So when I spotted the milkweed in bloom I had to stop and get a closer look. I thought perhaps I’d spot the monarch in its royal glory or at least a caterpillar munching away and building energy for its metamorphosis but there were none. I did find a Japanese Beetle hiding just beneath the blooms and behind it was a tiny flea beetle. And while I was disappointed in not having the royal audience with the Monarch it appears that his subjects are feasting away at the kings table. We should be so blessed one day.

Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

Announcement 2.0

I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/lloydslensphotographydiscussiongroup

Click the link below to jump to the Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe.https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/guide-to-mewe/embed/#?secret=GJGnIQEVHc

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.

WELCOME TO LLOYD’S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/embed/#?secret=ZBipPVJdZw

Have you checked out the Zazzle Store?

Are The Monarchs Returning?

Color Photography

Hello friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Monarch Butterfly On Milkweed 810191105” and is available for purchase by following the instructions at the bottom of the article.

I can’t really think of any better example of contentment than a monarch butterfly on milkweed. The butterfly pollinates the plant and the plant will host the catipiller. Their fates are forever entwined.

The field where I took the picture was once reserved for hay production. Milkweed is poisonous to cattle and therefore we took steps to keep it out of pastures. It was also rare to see a monarch butterfly in those days. Now the back part of this field is full of milkweed and monarch butterflies. I have seen more of the monarchs this summer than I have in thirty years.

A lot of blogs will point out that monarch butterflies pollinate more than just weeds and serve in an important environmental roll. All of this is true. But value in the world is more than just functionality. Value is beauty and wonder which is something that the monarch butterflies provide in abundance.

While I’m sure that there’s still plenty of work to do a quick Google search and found that the Monarch butterfly population has increased 144% in the Eastern United States. It would appear that the world is growing more and more beautiful every day.

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Thank you again for your support of my page!❤