Today, I left my home at the hem of Mt. Rainier's skirt and made my own annual pilgrimage on my bicycle through the Camas prairies inadvertently planted by the jealous wife. Camassia quamash was blooming in profusion. These plants provided a staple food for the indigenous peoples of the area, the dried root being ground to make a floury meal. Because there is a very similar white-flowered species which is poisonous, Native women would tie the leaves of the edible variety together in springtime when the plant was in flower. That way, they knew which roots to dig in the autumn.
365Caws is now in its 16th year of publication. If I am unable to post daily, I hope readers who love the natural world and fiberarts will seize those days to read the older material. Remember that this has been my journey as well, so you may find errors in my identifications of plants. I have tried to correct them as I discover them. Likewise, I have refined fiberarts techniques and have adjusted recipes, so search by tags to find the most current information. And thank you for following me!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Mt. Olympus' Jealous Wife
Today, I left my home at the hem of Mt. Rainier's skirt and made my own annual pilgrimage on my bicycle through the Camas prairies inadvertently planted by the jealous wife. Camassia quamash was blooming in profusion. These plants provided a staple food for the indigenous peoples of the area, the dried root being ground to make a floury meal. Because there is a very similar white-flowered species which is poisonous, Native women would tie the leaves of the edible variety together in springtime when the plant was in flower. That way, they knew which roots to dig in the autumn.
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