July 1, 2010 and we're hitting the open road again! Why didn't someone remind me that Canada is tooooo far! Even over 3 weeks, it a long way to go. But what a great time to get out of the perpetual Tucson heat wave. We get no reprieve. Thunder clouds looming they refuse to give that soft sweet rain the parched earth is begging for. I can't wait, in the mean time, I'm going north. Canyon de Chelly - first destination. On the road to Show Low our mouths were watering looking at the beautiful watermellons so we stopped to indulge in some beautiful fresh local grown vegies and fruits for the trip. Also couldn't resist the vintage Thunderbird Motel sign. Their all over the state of Arizona and all so cool!
Better get back on the road!
Such an interesting plant with a strikingly beautiful flower, recognized as a sign of untidiness and neglect, found not so much in barren ground but in good ground not properly cared for. The Thistle gets a bad rap as a plant of ill repute; Shakespeare refers to the 'rough Thistles' with 'hateful Docks', also touted as part of the primeval curse on the earth and on man in particular. Another story that I like is that a bare foot Viking attacker stepped on one at night and cried out, so alerting the defenders of a Scottish castle. Whatever the justification, the national flower of Scotland is the Thistle. And rightly so! On the brighter side, I find them beautiful, from a distance, cows love chewing them, the young stems are edible by humans and the seeds yield a nice oil. Sort of a more tropical version of our desert's Prickly pear cactus.
