July 20, 2005
Rosehips
It's the thin edge of the wedge -- as the Mitfords would say -- the Big Baby is trying to take control, filling this space with flowers or their equivalent. A metaphor. perhaps, for what is currently happening with the Supreme Court. Got Karl Rove off the front page pronto, didn't it?.
Unlike foxglove, google images does not have a particularly impressive rose hip collection, so perhaps this could be considered a contribution to world images.
And, as long as we're doing the botanical thing, you'll surely want to know that rose hips are an excellent source of vitamin C. They were harvested from the hedgerows in England during WWII and made into syrups when citrus fruits were unavailable. Although they are too tart to eat off the vine, one can brew tea, make jam, soup or even wine from this lovely fruit.
I did have occasion, one summer, when trying to amuse and educate small children, to make a batch of rose hip jelly. The harvest was quite bloody, (gloves are recommended), and it took a bushel of hips to make a cup of jam. Unfortunately, I've never seen rose hips at the market next to the strawberries. You will have to do it all yourself if you are so inspired.
A word of caution - "Anyone using rose hips for cooking should remove all the seeds. They are covered with sliver-hairs that, when ingested, irritate the digestive system and cause what the aboriginal people call 'itchy bottom disease'."
Photo note: My new(ish) camera did a good job on those sliver-hairs.
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Posted by Dakota at July 20, 2005 10:45 AM