Sweet Joe Pye

With the decline of small field farmers, this hay field is no longer mowed.  It has overgrown with . . . 

 

Eutrochium purpureum

 

. . . Sweet Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum).  

 

Up close with Joe:

 

Flower head

Each flower head has many florets.  The nectar rich flowers are enjoyed by bees, bumble bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.  The scent of sweet vanilla is wonderful.

 

 

 

Spathe and spadix

 

Pulpit and Jack

 

A close-up view of a Jack in the Pulpit.  From its colors and striping, this may be the Arisaema triphyllum.  The spathe (the "pulpit") surrounds the spadix (the "Jack"). As the fruit ripens, the red berries appear.

 

Flyleaf wishes

 

The calligraphic flourishes in the flyleaf of this book express hopes for everyone.

"With my very best wishes"

"With my very best wishes" are from Michael H. Pathe C. Ss. R., a priest of the Redemptorist Order who served parishes in the upper Midwest.  In 1931, he published "A Summer in Ireland".

Title page

In his book, he describes his visitations and observations of Ireland, his birth place.  He departed from New York City on June 1st, aboard the RMS "Baltic" of the White Star Line.  He returned via Galway, leaving there on September 4th.

The author does not provide the year of this vacation.  The book itself was copyright-ed in February, 1931, with a "Cum Permissu Superiorum".  We can speculate that the vacation was in 1930, or even earlier?  

 

Passenger lists and voyage logs from that time are not complete.  The RMS "Baltic" was launched on November 21, 1903 in Belfast.  Its maiden voyage was from Liverpool to New York on June 29, 1904.  Its primary routes (with returns to Liverpool) were:  Liverpool to New York; Liverpool, via Queenstown (now Cobh), to New York; and Liverpool, via Queenstown (now Cobh), to Boston and then New York.  She made roughly fifteen of these round trips per year.

On September 17, 1931, the ship began her last voyage of Liverpool to New York and a return to Liverpool.  On February 13, 1933, she left for Osaka to be scrapped.  RMS "Baltic" was one of four ships known as "The Big Liners", the others were RMS "Adriatic", RMS "Cedric", and RMS "Celtic". 

This'll blue

 

Ready to blow away

 

A common thistle ( Cirsium vulgare ) seed pod has exploded, ready to send its seed on the next wind.

 

 

Berry very purple

 

Red and black berries

 

A black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) bush shows its red and black (more like a very, very dark purple with red) berries.

 

Black is better

 

This cluster of black raspberries show the different stages of ripeness.  The darkest berries are the ripest and the sweeter and juicier they be.  The red, not so at all, even though they resemble ripe red raspberries.

Skipper on a leaf

A flighty butterfly that does not sit still long enough to be photographed does one and gets the other.

 

Zabulon skipper

This Poanes zabulon takes a break on a Rubus phoenicolasius leaf.

Poanes zabulon

This wineberry leaf provides a rest area for a zabulon skipper.

 

Green onions

 

White onions and their green stalks

 

These neatly trimmed green onions look forward to being part of a tasty meal.

 

 

 

Green water

 

What more?

 

Dog paw prints, the pour date, more "something" impressions, a partially scratched in name, partial wipe-outs, other unidentified markings - this small concrete sidewalk slab is covered with them.  The bright green water utility cover ensures that this feat in the street beneath our feet catches the eye of the casual passer-by.

 

 

Green milk

 

Diamonds or squares

 

A stack of green and black milk crates placed outside a grocery store awaits their pickup.  

 

Without precisely measuring them, it is not certain if those are squares or diamonds?  There are plenty of them!

 

 

Green tab

 

Hanging and waiting

 

Firmly attached to the facade of an old building, the original purpose of this hooked metal tab is long forgotten.  It remains functional to this day, hanging ready for use if it should be asked to do so.

I spin for you

 

Curbside at the carnival

 

Seated in the shade, these carnivaleers do not seem to notice the behemoth Round Up ride performing in front of them.

 

 

 

Friendly fruit

Grapefruit and limes and lemons

Contrary to the belief that they also have a sour attitude, citrus fruits are quite convivial and will visit with the fruits in the neighboring bins.