Wednesday, September 8, 2021

Thorn Apple


The spiny seed pod of our jimsonweed has opened, revealing hundreds of black seeds inside. In an effort to control the spread of the plant, I clipped the pod off so I could grow the seeds in trays. But of course some fell on the ground, so who knows -- it may be re-seeding without me. You can see why it's also called a "thorn apple"!

Dave and I got our refund for our thwarted vacation to Brazil. I'm glad it came so smoothly after we requested it a couple of weeks ago. I thought I might have to fight for it. That's a load off my mind.


After writing yesterday about the person who's been setting out old art and politics publications for the taking, I was amused to walk by in the afternoon and find this rather cranky sign. Someone's not happy with this method of redistribution! (Maybe the person who owns the wall?)

28 comments:

Yorkshire Pudding said...

"Please stop using capital letters where small case letters are required!"
(We are mostly referring to the letter "r")

Good to hear you got your Brazil money back. Well done!

Moving with Mitchell said...

Looks like the sign was effective.

Great thorn apple photo. I have a feeling you’re going to be overtaken by jimsonweed.

I’m still getting reminders and flight changes from Aer Lingus for flights I cancelled (and was told they’re running slow) more than a month ago and again 2 weeks ago to be told they had my request from before and were behind due to overwhelming demand. I might have to sit on hold for 2 hours with customer service.

crafty cat corner said...

I had not heard of a 'Thorn Apple' but looked it up. I need a few of those pods as it says that the plant has many therapeutic and health benefits including arthritis. The flower is beautiful and looks like convolvulus but nicer.
Briony
x

crafty cat corner said...

Ignore YP, he's so pedantic. I don't care much about capitals etc I just love reading your content.

Steve Reed said...

Not to mention "youR." I seldom see capitalized letters at the END of a word! (I like capitalization for emphasis, though, as you can tell.)

Steve Reed said...

Oh yikes. I hope you can straighten that out with Aer Lingus. :(

Steve Reed said...

I don't think so, Briony! Jimsonweed or thorn apple (Datura stramonium) is poisonous! Definitely don't go eating the seeds or pods! The flowers are beautiful, though, which is the only reason I grow it.

Steve Reed said...

He is pedantic, but at least in this case he's not correcting me -- he's correcting the writer of that sign. :)

Yorkshire Pudding said...

IGNORE bRiony!

Bob said...

I kinda like the idea of recycling the magazine, though, to be fair, if it was my wall or fence they were left on I might be bothered. No, maybe I wouldn't.

Steve Reed said...

LOL

Steve Reed said...

I would only be worried if it meant the council was going to sock me with a fine for improper rubbish disposal!

Ursula said...

You are right, CCC, YP is pedantic. As, one might say by way of mitigating circumstance, befits an ex-teacher. I love reading his comments on his own and other people's blogs because you can bet any Capital Letter that if you set a foot wrong he'll let you know about it - even if only in disguise, on the sly. He is Master of the backhanded compliment.

Next stop the grocer's apostrophe which, whilst atrocious, also has added to much hilarity to people's life. In fact, I am sure YP was a member of Keith Waterhouse's Apostrophe Society as indeed was FOS (Father-of-Son). If ever there was a war waged. At least no one died. Not that that stopped Waterhouse from kicking the bucket. Lynne Truss, I swear, was Waterhouse's and FOS's love child ("Eats, shoots and leaves" vs "Easts shoots and leaves" - The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation).

"Ignore YP"? Thanks for the laugh. YP is the master of blanking. As, I am sure, he'll freely admit - if there is any justice (and humoUr) in this world.

Herzliche Gruesse,
Ursula

The Bug said...

But the magazines are arranged so nicely - it's almost like a doctor's office! Also, if it bothered me I would just put them in my own recycling bin. But some people enjoy a good skirmish & more power to them - ha!

Ms. Moon said...

Oh my gosh. I feel so ignorant. I was just going to comment on how attractively written the sign was. I noted the capital R but it didn't bother me. I thought perhaps it was used to emphasize the word it began.
One man's treasure...
...someone else's Rubbish.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you got your refund so easily. Maybe I should have written Refund because this must be capital R day.

Sharon said...

Glad to hear you got your trip refund. My friend Julie just canceled her trip to France next week and wasn't so lucky. Most of her trip was not refundable. She doesn't want to chance going and possibly getting stuck there in a quarantine. France has tightened its requirements for visitors.

Ellen D. said...

Will you and Dave plan another big trip now that you have your Brazil refund? My guess is to wait and see what Covid is up to! Stay safe!

John Going Gently said...

There’s always someone who moans…..in life, in sheds, on blogs

Margaret said...

I am pedantic as well. What drives me over the edge are misused apostrophes though, not capital letters. :)

Linda Sue said...

I LIke's the sigN. it is gooDer than most's.

crafty cat corner said...

Got my info from here Steve http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com/herbs/thorn-apple.html

Kelly said...

That's a serious looking seed pod... one I wouldn't want to tangle with. My version of moonflowers isn't anywhere near going to seed yet. They're still blooming profusely every evening.

Pixie said...

London has far more interesting rubbish than we do.

To be honest I'm glad you two aren't going to Brazil. I don't actually know you guys but it doesn't seem safe right now.

ellen abbott said...

right? set it out on your own wall.

Anonymous said...

It is a nasty looking seed pod.

Good news with your travel refund.

If the magazines just sit there untaken and it was my fence, I might get a bit cranky too.

Catalyst said...

You could leave your own sign: "They May be Collectible!"

Debby said...

Do the magazines get picked up regularly? Or do people wearing their cranky pants have to pick them up daily?