Wild Carrot

In the early spring, everything looks so green, so lush.  There is little hint of the amazing amount of growth that occurs when summer really arrives.  Right now, chickweed is a huge annoyance, but an area left untended for long produces much, much more in the next couple of months.

Most governmental areas expect that property owners will take care of their surroundings to the extent that they mow the lawn at least.  Mowing keeps down the worst of the weeds that begin to take over otherwise.  Even poison ivy withers when its ends are cut, which is why you almost never see it growing in a mowed area.  The plant gathers its strength at the ends rather than at the root, the opposite of most plants.

The State of Ohio recognizes a number of plants as "noxious."  The plants are invasive and serve no good purpose, and some of them you might easily recognize.  The Wild Carrot is one of the most common ones on the list.  It is also called Queen Ann's Lace, but that elegant sounding name isn't enough to make it desirable.

During the time when I worked at the local newspaper, one of my jobs was to cover the Lawrence Township Trustee meetings.  The road superintendent at that time, Jim, was really an amazing guy.  He was very low key and I honestly never saw him upset about anything.  The whole crew stopped what they were doing each day to have lunch and listen to Paul Harvey.  He was that kind of guy -- and had a wealth of common sense to boot.  He also did a little farming.  One of Jim's jobs was to identify properties that had not been mowed and had developed weeds. 

So at the one meeting, he was questioned by a trustee about a certain property.  Jim said, "Well, it does have some of those obnoxious weeds."  It was so hilarious!!  I wrote about it in the paper, and Jim being the good sport that he was got a big kick out of it too.  Everyone did.  Life in the small town, remember?  You've got to love it.

We have some "obnoxious" weeds around here too, and some of them aren't even on the list.  Jewel weed is pretty annoying at times, but easy to pull up.  The worst are the briars.  Apparently, briars can actually be lethal.  If a child is riding a bike through an area with briars, one of the thorns can actually cut through the skin and nick an artery.  Ditto riding a dirt bike or maybe even running.  People have died this way.  One of my goals to is to try and figure out a way to get rid of a large number of them.  Now why couldn't the slugs eat briars? 

When a yard isn't mowed, then the township has the right to mow the property (if noxious weeds are identified) and add the cost to the tax duplicate.  This means that whoever buys the property will ultimately pay for the work, but it could be a good long while before the money can be collected.

Every single day I wake up to the view of the woods out the windows, I am so grateful.  Living here is like living in a laboratory.  There is always something to look at, to look up, to discover.  The dogwood trees are just starting to bud out.  They take their time as though they are savoring each delightful spring day.  And we should do the same, and take the time to thank God for everything!!