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ullehaddock

Writer of sorts with a soft spot for Photo. Writes about life and what comes into my mind.
Thistle

Thistle

Yesterday I posted a picture of the Painted lady butterfly that has its Swedish name from the Thistle flower (Cirsium) (find it here). So today I must follow up with some pictures of this beautiful flower that most gardener’s hate. It is, by many considered a weed as it suffocates its surroundings with its leafs. You should wear thick gloves if you like to pick some. The whole plant is covered with thorns including the flower.

It is however well liked by insects that use its protection for breading, collecting nectar and hunting grounds. The Thistle is the national flower of Scotland and is therefore used in many symbols linked to Scotland. There is even a legend of a Viking stepping on a thistle and screamed so loud that the Scottish was alerted of the attack.

Don’t be a thorn in anyone’s side, ha de Gött!

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Painted lady

Painted lady

This quite large butterfly is a long traveler (Vanessa (Cynthia) cardui). It migrates from north Africa and the Sahara all the way to north Europe and Sweden. In Swedish it is called “tistelfjäril”, translates to thistle butterfly. This is where I found it, in the flowering thistles where it lays its larvae. There are several subspecies and can be found on all continents except South America and Antartica.

Ha de Gött!

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Summer bouquet

Summer bouquet

This purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is in Swedish called “Fackelblomster” that translates to “torch flower”. This flower grows in wet soil and like a purple torch lights up the sky.

Ha de Gött!

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Dancing Queen

Dancing Queen

Like a white beacon in all the green. The hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium) got my imagination going with its many English names. But first the Swedish name, “Snårvinda”. Connects to its growth place in bushes where it twines around another plants. Reaches up to four meters. It can be found all over the world in tempered climate in several sub species.

The English names is like a smorgasbord. Rutland beauty, bugle vine, heavenly trumpets, bellbind, granny-pop-out-of-bed and, according to Wikipedia, many more. Please drop a comment if you know any more. Heavenly trumpets seems a fitting name with its innocent white and trumpet shape flowers.

Granny-pop-out-of-bed. In my head plays out the scene with granny jumping out of bed. Dressed in her long white night dress. Hair all white from age and fuzzy from sleep. She dances around like a teenager in the bedroom with the radio playing loud. The song is the Beatles “a hard days night”. Sweeps across the hall to that handsome widower’s room. He wakes up mumbling something about ghosts. He finds his glasses, and his teeth. Puts them in to give her a Liberace smile. They dance all night and just before the staff enters her room she slips back into bed. The staff helps her with the morning things. While wheeling her out to the common room for breakfast they ask if she had a good night. Sure did, she answers and give the widower across the hall a wink of the eye. Now then, ready for pills and bridge thrills before the heavenly trumpets sounds.

Angels sound your horns, Ha de Gött!

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Insects

Insects

The insects are so very important for the biodiversity. They are also often very beautiful like the flowers they pollinate. They can also bug you. Buzzing around your ears when all you’re interested in is having a beer and a cozy blogg reading in the shade.

This beautiful little fellow is unknown to me. I think it is some kind horse-fly or even a small butterfly. The small ones is a small bee that can hoover in the air.

Don’t kill insects just because you can. They are needed for our survival. The more insects we exterminate the more pandemic’s will we see in the future. Ha de Gött!

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Slow worm

Slow worm

The serpent, adder, snake, viper, has many names and in many cultures a bad name. This is not a snake but a legless lizard. The slow worm (Anguis fragilis) is sometimes also called deaf adder or blind worm. The eyes are small but fully functional. It can be found, in several subspecies, all over Eurasia. In Swedish it’s called “Kopparödla” that translates to Copper lizard. Looking at the color the name makes perfect sense. It sometimes shed its tail as a defense. Don’t worry it grows back.

Speaking of snakes I cannot fail to mention the fantastic TV series Black Adder starring Rowan Atkinson from the 80:ties. The sidekick Baldrick played by Tony Robinson is, for me, the real hero. With a cunning plan, ha de Gött!

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Caucasian stonecrop

Caucasian stonecrop

Not much information to find about this little plant, the Caucasian stonecrop (Phedimus spurius). In Swedish it’s called “Kaukasiskt Fetblad” that translates to fat leaf from Caucasus. The name probably has something to do with the thick moisture filled leafs. Needs well drained soil in a sheltered place with full sun.

Ha de Gött!

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What if

What if

What if there were no name to places? All positioning was mathematically. Where do you live? Oh, I live at N58°, E11°.

Would all territorial wars end? Or would we just fight over squares.

What language would be? Or would we only communicate mathematically like computers. In ones and zeros, or hexadecimals.

How about our names? Just a series of numbers, date of birth and a serial number like our social security number. “Happy birthday dear 20210710-0001”.

If we only worked with numbers would all scores be settled?

Did you meet all your numbers? Yes, we had a large family dinner.

Marriage an addition, divorce a subtraction. Making children, multiplying. Would then giving birth be a division?

Genealogy just a matrix.

Sometimes my thoughts don’t add up, ha de Gött!

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Butterflies

Butterflies

Yesterday morning I went for a walk in the forest to find some mushrooms. I decided to bring the camera. I was glad to see so many butterflies, but getting them to pose for the camera was quite a challenge. When they sit still on a flower to collect nectar with their proboscis they close their wings so you only see the backside. They open up to only to fly of. Patience needed but it is hard when the other insects in the forest take advantage of the situation and try to have a piece of you.

Trying to name the species prove to be even more difficult. There are almost 175 000 species identified all over the world. I think I’ve been able identify a Brimstone who refused to show its wings. Then the Small heath that was kind enough to spread its wings long enough for a picture. Also the Black-veined moth I think I nailed. If you know the name please leave a comment.

Spread your wings into the summer and ha de gött!

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