Saturday, 7:30 AM. 56 degrees, wind NW, moderate with stronger gusts. The channel is crawling. The skies are partly cloudy, and the barometer predicts rain. We had a strong shower yesterday evening that brought three-quarters of an inch of welcome rain.Sailboat race week starts today, and unless the weather turns severe it should be perfect for sailing.
I met Barb Spencer walking her dog this morning and she had what looked like wild carrot, or Queen Ann’s lace, Daucus carrota, in her hand. I told her she should be careful with anything that looked like carrot, as many plants in the carrot (Umbelliferae) family are poisonous, either if touched or ingested. I didn’t look closely at it, but when I got home she phoned and said she looked in her wild flower book and thought it was poison hemlock (the “hemlock” that killed Socrates). I will look at it where it is growing on 8th street, and if it is that, I will have it sprayed.
The American smokebush, Cotinus coggygria, is in bloom in the yard, it has very delicate panicles of red-yellow flowers, which when gone to seed are masses of smoky-gray seeds, quite attractive. It has nice fall color as well and can be an effective background shrub in the landscape.
The Longs, the baby’s other grandparents, and the House’s, the Godparents, arrive today so we are all scurrying about, getting ready for more company and for tomorrow. My job is to do the floral arrangements for church, and otherwise as I am told, or at least to keep out from underfoot, along with the dogs. If I do not behave I may have to be put in my kennel.
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