Thistledown

Sow Thistle in Winter Bloom


Lately I spend a lot of time, on a place called The Moor, blowing thistledown into the wind. I have come to the final realisation that all the stars on Merlin's robe and cap were, originally, thistledown.

It's great fun blowing thistledown, and I am, by now, quite champion at it. I figure, too, that every thistle needs as much opportunity as possible to scatter itself far and wide, so I like to help facilitate this. Sow Thistle are a particular favourite of mine, but I don't mind Cat's Tails, either. There are some little native daisies that have tiny ''clocks'', so I do those as well--if it pleases and suits me; but, of course, as I'm running about, I'm more likely to grab the thistles nearest to hand, rather than those way down low on the ground. I do enjoy Dandelions, and you do see some here in the non-drought years, but it's too dry for them at present. Scotch Thistle are fun, but you see them more on the cooler and wetter Tablelands, too. They are far too prickly to handle, anyway. I have been known to blow Wild Salsify clocks on the banks at Cotton's Weir. Compass Plant can be fun, but they tend to be tougher to break off, as well as a bit prickly, too. Still, the Sow Thistles are rather aphidy, lately, and I do feel a little guilty for disturbing the insects' sticky lifestyle.