Flowers and Doves

Due to the dry weather we haven't mowed our lawn in awhile. I notice all kinds of herbs and flowers growing. I've seen a lot of plantain which I should pick and make into plantain salve. Have you ever done that? You just pack a jar full of plantain and fill the jar with olive oil. Then you let it set in a warm place for about 6 weeks. After that you strain it and mix the oil with bees wax and vitamin E. I have a recipe somewhere if someone wants it. It is good for so many different things. When I had Daniel I made up a batch and used it on his diaper area. He never got diaper rash. I still had some for Leah. Now I am down to my last little jar.

Another herb I can identify in my lawn is shepherd's purse. I use that in an herbal bath recipe I have. Before I had Daniel my midwife gave me the recipe to use after birth. It worked so well. I would also take Daniel and then Leah in the tub with me. Their cord stumps dried up and fell off in three days. This summer Daniel's chain came off his bike. He really scraped up his leg and ankle. I made up a batch of herbal bath and had him soak his foot in it several times. Even though it was a nasty scrape it didn't get infected and healed quickly. Herbs can be great healers.

This pretty flower is growing all over the lawn on the north side of the house. I looked it up in my "Wildflowers Grasses & Other Plants of the Northern Plains and Black Hills" book I got last year in the Black Hills. From what I can tell it is an Ox-Eye Daisy.



I've been noticing a couple of mourning doves eating on the ground by our feeder. They are a little skittish and fly away when they see me. When I was going to take some pictures of my flowers this one flew up into the tree by the feeder. Can you see it? It is in the middle of the picture. I don't know why but I have always loved doves. Maybe it's because they sound so sad. When I was little I thought they were morning doves. It wasn't until I was an adult that I learned they were mourning doves. It does sound like they are mourning.

I started some of my flowers in the house with seeds. Then I planted some seeds directly into the garden. The flowers started in the garden with seeds are just as big as the plants I put out. Next year I may as well just plant seeds. In the center are cosmos. They just getting buds that will open soon. The zinnias are opening now. The marigolds have been blooming for a long time.



I love zinnias especially red ones. I could only find a mix of colors this year.



Does anyone know what type of flower this is? I thought I had it written down but alas I don't. I know it starts with a "c". They open in the morning and start to close in the evening like a morning glory.

It looks like another beautiful day. I best get out and get busy.