Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: spiny bracts

Definitely past its prime, but I love these Nodding Thistles at any stage, but especially when the pinky purple flower has died and the beautiful pattern of the spiny bracts can be seen more clearly. Flower head is 4-6 cm in diameter. The large Nodding or Musk Thistle is my favourite species of Thistle. Unfortunately, this quite spectacular and beautiful species is on the list of Restricted, Noxious, and Nuisance Weeds In Alberta. Its name, Nodding Thistle, comes from the fact that the flower heads commonly droop to a 90° to 120° angle from the stem when mature. It is a biennial that spreads rapidly by seed forming extremely dense stands, though when I have seen this species growing in several places within the city, there are usually only a few of them. It looks like i may have captured two insects as well - a teeny red mite on the left of the stem, and something else in the centre of the stem. I don't know if the latter is a moth or a beetle. www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/potd/2011/08/carduus-nutans.php en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carduus_nutans This photo was taken at the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area, not far from downtown Calgary, yesterday afternoon, 24 July 2018. It is the richest botanical area, for its size, within the city. Over 385 species have been recorded in an area of about three hectares. (All of Fish Creek Provincial Park has only about 460 species). Eighty species, however, are aliens, now occupying 90+% of the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area. It is such a shame to see how the area is being devastated by plants that include Baby's Breath, Creeping Thistle, Yellow Clematis and other invasive species. The weather forecast for yesterday afternoon called for a risk of a thunderstorm. The sky was dark and gloomy, but we were very lucky that the rain stayed away. Our temperature at 9:00 this morning, 25 July 2018, is only 12C, which feels really good. This afternoon, it is supposed to get up to 23C.

The Nodding/Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans) is my favourite kind of thistle, especially at the stage before the stage shown in my photo, when the pinky purple flower has died and the beautiful pattern of the spiny bracts can be seen more clearly. Flower head is 4-6 cm in diameter. Photographed at the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area on July 27th, when I called in for a short walk after my afternoon volunteer shift. There were a lot more of these plants this year, so I guess this invasive weed really does spread! The Government is offering very good rebates to people who replace their central heating furnace for an energy efficient one, but the offer is only for a limited time. My furnace is extremely old and I think it was maybe five years ago that the furnaces in several neighbours' units developed cracks and had to be replaced. We all had to have our furnaces checked for obvious safety reasons. I was told that mine might last another couple of years - and it has been five, so I feel I'm pushing my luck. The question is - do I really want to add more stress and mess to the upcoming stress and mess of having to have my front and patio doors, all my windows, and the roof replaced??? It would be so much more expensive to replace it next year. Also, it will be a nightmare getting to the furnace and working around it, as my basement is now worse than ever, now that I have the contents of the 12 boxes from England (containing so many wonderful sentimental belongings of my parents and my brother) strewn all over the basement floor. I think I might just have to swallow my pride and ask a furnace guy to please close his eyes and not notice the mess, ha. Impossible! Couldn't fall sleep last night, thinking about this, and ended up in my basement in the early hours of the morning, moving a handful of things. Anyone got one of those magic wands I could borrow, lol??? Or maybe even Mary Poppins might be available? Sigh ....

The Nodding/Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans) is my favourite kind of thistle, especially at this stage, when the pinky purple flower has died and the beautiful pattern of the spiny bracts can be seen more clearly. Flower head is 4-6 cm in diameter. Photographed at the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area on July 27th, when I called in for a short walk after my afternoon volunteer shift. There were a lot more of these plants this year, so I guess this invasive weed really does spread, lol. In Alberta, this plant is listed as Prohibited Noxious. www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/potd/2011/08/carduus-nutans.php en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carduus_nutans Came across this beautiful video of Bald Eagles flying, on YouTube. Superb footage from BBC and KPBS of American and European Eagles. Music by Abba. I did post it a couple of days ago, but after everyone had commented, so thought I'd post it again today. youtu.be/qdoSy4ROZpg Have been watching and waiting for the youngest of the two Hornby Island Eagles to fledge, but it looks like young "David" (as he has been named) is going to be waiting just a little longer - today, tomorrow? What a character this young branchling is, lol. It has been eight days since his older sibling fledged.