--- Jon Gabriel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >Behalf Of Deborah Harrell > > >William T Goodall <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > Religion is extremist by nature. > > > > <YAWN> > > <stre-e-etch> > > <curl up comfortably under the lilac bush> > > > > Heretic Lutheran Deist Maru :) > > > Why Lilac? :)
Perhaps Gandalf's or the hobbits' pipes were made of lilac: http://www.devonian.ualberta.ca/pwatch/lilac.htm "‘Syringa' originates from the Greek ‘syrinx', meaning hollow stem. One of the first common names for Syringa vulgaris in English was ‘pipe tree', because the straight stems made excellent pipes. The stem was used by ancient Greek doctors to inject medications into their patients..." It's an "indicator plant:" "...Both plants and insects develop in a sequence in spring, in response to temperature. Because of this, the bloom time of lilac or other key indicator plants can be used to predict the best time for certain farming activies. In Montana, alfalfa is usually ready for its first cut one month after lilacs start to flower. To get rid of alfalfa weevil, Montana farmers do an early cut of alfalfa hay within 10 days of first lilac bloom. This eliminates the weevil eggs before they hatch. In Southern Alberta the saying is "be ready to cut hay 40 days after the lilac flowers". When the lilacs reach full bloom is the best time to treat birch leaf miner on birch trees, gypsy moth larvae on deciduous trees, and lilac borer on lilac..." It travels well and is hardy: http://www.frontrangeliving.com/garden/Lilacs.htm "...A favorite in Thomas Jefferson’s garden and a tough plant that journeyed to Colorado with the pioneers, old-fashioned lavender lilacs still can be found on abandoned homesteads, along with Harison's yellow rose and heirloom bearded irises. None is native to North America but all have adapted to conditions in the West..." But most of all, I loved it as a child: the marvelous odor from the lavender blooms, how perfect a "secret meeting place" the lilac thicket on the crest of the hill made, playing at Mowgli peering out from the jungle to the houses below... My cats like to hang out under the lilac bush out back; it's cool, shady, and protects from sharp bird eyes as well as silly dog noses. ;) Debbi __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Calendar - Free online calendar with sync to Outlook(TM). http://calendar.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
