August 17, 2026
“Weeds and Walks”
On nice days I take Marjory outside in her wheelchair for a walk. We like to walk around the garden beds where this time of year the flowers thrive, the humming birds stop in their migration south, and the bees buzz. This year many who choose to work the gardens planted zinnias. Marjory and I love them. Their color is so vibrant and varied. When I was young my own dad always planted them. He loved color, so I come by it naturally.
Our friend, Helen, has invited us to cut as many of her zinnias as we want and we do just that. Marjory loves to arrange them in a vase. We both love the joy in the colors these bring into our home.
Yet, Marjory is intrigued with the hill where the city requires us to plant “natural plants” that are often called weeds. We seemed to be blessed with the prairie bundle flower. Though we have planted a variety of prairie flowers and grasses, this bundle flower is prolific. Honestly, I love the look on that hillside. The seeds are so dark brown and an amazing tangle that, if flattened out would probably be a Fibonacci Spiral.
Last year our local zoo came and picked a lot of the bundle flowers for their giraffes. It is similar to the acacia trees in Africa that are a natural food for giraffes there. When the zoo can get the bundle flower, the giraffes find it a real treat. This bundle flower, in North America, is a perennial legume with curved seed pods.
Today I also cut some of the weeds and put them in a vase. Enjoy our photos!