Neighbours, bumblebees and chocolate......

I have a lovely neighbour who lives at the bottom of the drive. That sounds a little grand but it's just the way the houses are offset. Most weeks when the re-cycling has been collected she returns the various boxes to my front door. I return the favour when I can but she's definately ahead in the 'return the boxes' stakes. I caught her in the act yesterday and went out to thank her. We chatted as you do. 'Oh, she said you're bit of a hippy.' 'Am I?' (Should I be offended? Actually it made me smile.) 'Yes' she said 'Just look at what you've got growing in your front garden.' I turn around curious about what has crept into the garden that has earned me such a title. 'Those are drugs you know!' Points determindly at the garden... 'Arhhhh!' Now I understand.... It was these,

Echinacea purpura

She continued.. 'I take them every winter you know - I swear that's why I never get a cold!' I wouldn't have a clue what would you would have to do these plants to benefit from them? and she carries on.... "I've been showing them to people when they visit us.' (!?) Do they extract an oil from the plant to make medicine or ... ? I really have no idea. I just grow them because they fascinate me. When the flowers form they have quite flat centres and then as the flower itself ages a 'cone' grows upwards. (Is that why they're called cone flowers? Duh!)

They look all soft but they're got they've really got quite a spiky feel.

It's confession time. I really grow them because the bumblebees absolutely adore them and I adore bunblebees. It's no secret! I don't care who knows. I just love they way they well 'bumble' between flowers sometimes you could believe that they were quite drunk. I love their fat, round fluffiness and to hear them when you're out and about. On the echinacea plants you quite often find them seemingly asleep. Lovely little creatures.

She knows more about me than you do however and for her this 'making stuff', growing herbs and strange plants in my front garden and then this .......

... she'd found an empty wrapper in the re-cycling box...... oh dear! It's only a little indulgence. See, you have to be careful about what you throw away people use it form opinions about you. You get labelled as a 'hippy'. (I'm sorry that's just so funny.) I'd better stay away from the next village meeting in case she has me burned for a witch. She hasn't seen what's growing in the back garden.....

This weeks mystery photo (there probably won't be one next week) is this

Whatever was he doing?

and from this;

I now have 'Permission to'......

.....Investigate. That might help me with the bag tutorial I suppose (It's taking ages, as usual.) ..... think I'd rather have had the ... 'Wish'..... perhaps tomorrow!

and one last picture of pure, floaty pinkiness (just indulge me a little more.. pretty please!)

Simply gorgeous ....

Comments

[Lynne]

Is that your husband with a camera under there?

[Kim]

I must be another hippy then, we swear by echinacea in this house! And judging by my recycling boxes, we're definitely chocolate addicts too, but I don't think that's a secret!
Kimx

[two hippos]

I love echinacea flowers, never thought one had to be a hippy to grow them though!! I'm so glad we have bright orange bags to hide our recycling from the neighbours!

[Helen]

How funny to be classed as a hippy purely on a single plant growing in your garden! The echinacea flowers are beautiful.

[dottycookie]

Your flowers are lovely! I have no idea how to turn them into remedies but I used to work with someone who swore by echinacea for warding off colds. I have no idea whether it actiually worked!