Saturday, September 15, 2018

Behind the bunker.

Neither pink nor blue, this dainty little flower seems to be just surviving in one particular part of Vinoland's Pinot grigio block.  Tall annual willowherb, Epilobium brachycarpum, isn't usually as delicate as are the specimens I frequently pass as I am working in the vineyard.  I'm sure the extremely dry environment that these willowherbs find themselves in explains their lack of vigour.  It was hard to get a photograph of this delicately stemmed flower in today's breezy conditions.
When I hear, or see, any mention of willowherb, it instantly reminds me of being little.  Rosebay willowherb, Chamaenerion angustifolium (a sister genera to Epilobium), was probably one of the very first weeds that I identified all by myself.  (I had to take myself up to the local library in those days.).  There was always a single, rather tall example of this weed, with its fluffy seeds, to be found thriving behind the coal bunker of my childhood home.  Willowherb always evokes fond memories for me.

4 comments:

New Hampshire Wineman said...

Love this story.
Rarifed reflections really rivals redolent and refined your wine reviews. ;-)

New Hampshire Wineman said...

Please place 'your' before redolent, and delete it before 'wine'.
Thank you very much.
Or just leave it. Your will be done.

Thud said...

Pedant!...coalbunker...yaaaay!

Vinogirl said...

NHW: Thank you. That's a lot of Rs!

Thud: Pray tell, dear brother, what is it I am being so pedantic about, that it wounds your sensibilities, this time?