Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Rudbeckia, Black-Eyed Susan


Day 315: Susan is a bit of a tom-boy, and somebody poked her in the eye! I am not certain of the etymology of the name "Black-Eyed Susan," but it always makes me chuckle because these flowers do have a Becky Thatcher look, at once pretty but rough-and-tumble and somewhat weedy-wild. They are the showpieces of a scatter-garden such as mine, heads rising brazenly above the shorter plants as if to say, "Go on, I dare you!" to the Tom Sawyers and Huck Finns who share their playspace. You can sense the mischief in the rambunctious yellow-orange flowers, feel the longing for adventure. A better name, I believe, would have been "Black-Eyed Becky," because I am certain that this plant has frogs in its pockets just waiting to be dropped down the neck of some stately, proper and unsuspecting lily.

2 comments:

  1. Hi. I met you in February along the Chehalis bike trail and have since enjoyed your photos. I think it might interest you to know that your photos are now enjoyed by me in Sierra Leone (West Africa). I have just gotten adequate internet access after a 2 month dry spell and I can get your pictures to load. I'm quite excited about that.

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    1. My goodness! You have travelled quite far afield! I hope you're snapping loads of pictures along the way!

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