It Only Hurts When I Blog

Greetings, Monday Morning Blah-gers!

No, I don't get Columbus Day off, but I'm happy for all of you who DO!

Here's the latest cute photo of my granddaughter - they had warm weather this weekend! Kudos to Aunt Nancy for taking this picture in her backyard.

If you can't tell, Savi is collecting the downy milkweed silk from milkweed pods - that was fun when I was a kid too.

Here are some interesting tidbits about milkweed!

In World War II, children in the United States were encouraged to collect milkweed pods and turn them in to the government, where the fluffy silk was used to stuff lifevests and flying suits. The silk was especially good because of its exceptional buoyancy and light weight. Also in World War II, because of the shortage of natural rubber, scientists in the United States tried to turn common milkweed’s latex into a rubber-like substitute.

Monarch butterflies are particularly attracted to the flowers of the common milkweed and other milkweed relatives.

In Hindu mythology, relatives of the common milkweed were considered to be the king of plants; it was believed that the creating god was under the influence of milkweed juice when he created the universe.