Perrot State Park

This is an acrylic painting on a recycled canvas. I'm slowly working my way through photos from Perrot State Park from a trip we took last year. This area is hilly and beautiful. The hills are always covered in a blanket of wild flowers and since Perrot State Park is in a different zone then I am there are lovely new friends to be made and seen. This painting is of Delphinium carolinianum or commonly known as Carolina Larkspur and is a species of the buttercup family. Wild prairie rose which can be used in many different ways for example waiting til Fall to pick the hips to make tea that's a good source of vitamin C. Leafy Spurge an invader to pastures, grasslands, prairies and roadsides. Like Buckthorn I think "invasive species" are becoming overwhelmingly interesting to me as they are a product of so many things, from climate change to being imported from other countries. We are in an interesting battle of trying to keep the land in it's "original" state which brings up so many other thoughts and questions. How does this relate to all other sentient beings? All of these battles seem so circular and tied together. Maybe the idea is not to get rid of it at all but learn how we can all live in harmony? As it seems impossible to eradicate something that is already here, grown roots and established families. You'll also see lead plant that is native to North America and has been used for tea or to treat open wounds and cuts. It provides many benefits to the ecosystems it's part of, such as nutrition for grazing animals and helps prevent soil erosion. In gardening it can be grown to help fix nitrogen. Daisies, mushrooms and ferns are some of the other ones that you might easily be able to figure out just by viewing. 

Today while I was pouring cereal I looked over at you two Del and Lucy. You both are just pure perfection. How did something so perfect come from someone so imperfect I wonder. Lucky I guess! I just love all of what you two are.