THE FRENCH MARIGOLD – CHICKEN FEED

 

The French Marigold is more than

Just a pretty flower of the daisy family

The Tagetes Patula florets

Are grown and harvested annually

And added to poultry feed which

Helps to give the yolks a golden colour

THE FRENCH MARIGOLD – A SPICE FOR LIFE

 

The French Marigold is more than

Just a pretty flower of the daisy family

In the Republic of Georgia in the Caucasus,

Tagetes Patula flowers are dried and ground

To make the Georgian spice Imeretian Saffron

An essential ingredient in the spice mixture

Khmeli-Suneli, which in Georgian cuisine

Is on a par with Garam Masala in Northern India

Georgians share elements of Mughlai cuisine

THE FRENCH MARIGOLD – GOLDEN SOLDIERS

 

The French Marigold is more than

Just a pretty flower of the daisy family

The Tagetes Patula is actually

Native to Mexico and Guatemala

With flowers of blended red and yellow

Combine to give the pleasing sight

Of the vibrant Golden headed sentries

Along the herbaceous borders edge

THE SHREW

 

The Shrew has the look of a long-nosed mouse,

But it is not a rodent, in fact it’s a cousin of the mole,

And they are foragers where the find seeds, insects,

Nuts, and worms, in leaf litter and dense vegetation

And will take advantage of arable farmland fields

And reap the benefit of corn, wheat and barley ears

ELDER FLOWER

 

My father made exceptionally good homemade wine

And it was his passion, and he used nature’s larder

For his ingredients and his favourite was Sambucus

Better known as Elder or more often Elderberry

In spring he used the small white or cream-colored flowers

For his Elder flower concoction, then later in the season

He picked clusters of small black, blue-black, or red berries

And produced his locally renowned Elderberry Wine

Which was a fruity and subtle drink with a spectacular bite

FOXGLOVES

 

On my daily walks the Foxgloves thrive

Especially in a new woodland clearing

And on the heath after a devastating fire

But my favourite display is on the rocky tops

Of the cliffs overlooking the sea

A FEARFUL HARE GOES TO GROUND

 

A fearful hare goes to ground

And startled Pheasants take flight

Where guns wait expectantly

For their quarry to come into sight

They appear above the guns

Then the ragged volleys sound

Announcing the birds death knell

And they fall gracelessly to the ground

Where eager to please gundogs,

Who think it’s a game to play

Retrieve the birds and drop them

Where the still smoking cartridges lay