Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Snapshots

Marie likes dandelions. What a coincidence, we just happen to have a plantation.... funny how the neighbors don't seem to find it as pretty as we do.




It's a hard life, but somebody has to live it...

6 comments:

  1. Anonymous2:01 AM

    Wow. Euh. Je ne m'etais pas rendu compte que tu avais recommence a blogger. So.

    Cat pictures: awesome. I can't believe I still haven't met Loukhi, dirty or not.

    Cooking: yeah, same issue here, but I'm practicing hard. My best result yet, le flan. My worst, hmm, I can't even tell. It became nameless. ;-)

    Yann's reading materials. Great! May I ask if he's reading all in French or if he touches English?

    Flowers: you're brave to be posting dandelion pictures so openly. Keep in mind that once some bureaucracy has been overcome, your sister-in-law might well show up (in good company) and eat them all. ;-)

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  2. Anonymous12:01 AM

    Stunning dandelion pictures...

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  3. Oops,that was me...

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  4. From -http://www.woodrow.org/teachers/bi/2000/Ethnobotany/dandelion.html -

    What’s in a name: The genus name of the dandelion comes from the Greek word taraxos, which means disorder, and akos, which means remedy. The species name, officinale, means that it is used medicinally. The common name may come from the Greek word leontodon, which means lion’s tooth. Other sources claim the word dandelion comes from the old French word Dent-de-lion or from the Latin dens leonis, both also meaning lion’s tooth or teeth.

    All in the family: The common dandelion is a member of the Composite family, with relatives including Ecinachea (purple coneflower), chicory and other daisy-like flowers.

    Cultural uses: Various Native American groups used dandelions for food, a dermatological aid, a gastrointestinal aid, a cure for sore throats, an analgesic, a blood purifier, a sedative, a laxative, an emetic, a love potion, and a general tonic for good health. The first use of the dandelion as a medicine was by Arabian physicians in the 10th and 11th centuries. References to the use of dandelion as a medicine was also found writings of physicians in Wales in the 13th century.

    Today, dandelions are still used as food; many enjoy the dandelion leaves boiled like spinach or mixed in salads. Baby dandelion leaves are often found in haute cuisine. The root, when dried, has been used in coffee substitutes. But it is as a medicine that dandelion continues to shine. Dandelion leaves are used as a diuretic, but an unconventional one. While most diuretic preparations leach potassium from the body, dandelion leaves provide an abundant source of potassium. Leaves are also used to treat high blood pressure because of their ability to reduce the volume of fluid in the body. Dandelion root has been shown to stimulate bile production by the liver and is used to cleanse the liver. The root is also a gentle laxative. It is considered one of the most effective detoxifying herbs. It works on the liver, the kidneys and the gallbladder to accelerate the removal of toxins from the body. It also is used to relieve constipation, skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis, to prevent and possibly dissolve gallstones, and to treat osteoarthritis and gout. Parts of the dandelion may be consumed in a tea, a wine, an extract or tincture, or in combination with other medicinal herbs and flavorings in a reduced broth.

    Active compounds: sesquiterpene lactones, triterpenes, vitamins A,B,C,D, coumarins, carotenoids, potassium and other minerals, taraxacoside, and phenolic acids

    Research: Various clinical studies have demonstrated the legitimate use of dandelion as a diuretic, a bile production stimulant, a mild laxative, and an excellent source of potassium. Other studies have been only mildly indicative of any medicinal properties of dandelion, and those have been done in mice and rodents.

    In lore, legend and life: Dandelions were actually brought to the United States from Europe to provide food for honeybees; now they grow wild worldwide and are more difficult to exterminate than almost any other weed.

    Dandelions are used to make an herbal beer in England and Canada. Children use dandelion seed heads to make wishes by blowing the seeds away from the receptacle on which they are held.

    Dandelion pollen causes severe allergic reactions in people who are sensitive to other pollens such as ragweed.

    Young dandelion buds can be fried in butter and eaten; enthusiasts claim they taste like mushrooms.

    Dandelions have been called “piss-a-beds” because of their strong diuretic properties.

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  5. Anonymous10:12 PM

    That's putting it briefly.

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  6. You guys crack me up.

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