Seeds for Thought....

  Part (the best part!) of the thrice daily hikes about the place takes me to the pier.  Here, there never seems to be a lack of things to interest me.  Whether it be a cottonmouth on the marsh mats, an otter pup sliding in the mud or a snapping turtle wallowing a hole to trap minnows, the critters are fascinating.  Equally interesting, however,  is the variety of plants.  Duck potatoes, reeds, fleabane or salt-marsh morning glories can cause my brain to flit into a frenzy of wild thoughts.  Sometimes, a simple bloom can bring back a memories of a faerie tale from long ago (such as Grandmother's tale of Morning Glory that I wrote about years ago) or duck potatoes can make me ponder the edibility of the things.  Son says I am far too easily entertained and amused which I suppose is true.  These things all occupy the mind which..in itself..is not a bad thing.  Keeping the brain active is supposedly healthy.

  This morning's hike to ended at the pier as a thunderstorm threatened to dump a couple of inches of rain on my head.  I did have time to study a few seed pods that dangled precariously on thin whorls of a vine.  The wind whipped the vines causing seeds to fly everywhere!  As I studied the vine and pods, a memory of just what this was struck me. These were the seeds of the Saltmarsh Morning Glory that blooms so beautifully during the summer and fall months.  The rich pinks, blues and purples fill the marsh with an early morning burst of loveliness!  There it stays until the heat of the day causes the blooms to wither.  

  As I pondered the seed pods, I reached out to gather a few of the hard, black seeds. Hopefully, I can get a few to grow up closer to the house!  At this point, a giggle burst forth.  Pop would have shook his head in wonderment at his crazy daughter.  He worked tirelessly to rid the fields of any morning glory vines as they would choke out other plants and here I am trying to transplant a few in the gardens.  Poor Pop.  He is probably looking down at me and wondering where in the world he went wrong!  But they are pretty, Pop!