Wednesday 10 October 2012

Seedy?

We celebrated the Thanksgiving Day weekend enjoying the beautiful sunny, warm Fall weather and hosting dinner for friends. A belated Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian readers.

Maple samaras

Seedy has a few meanings.
To paraphrase Merriam Webster (Merriam Webster.com):
Seedy is an adjective, pronounced sē-dē, meaning
1) containing or full of seeds <a seedy fruit>
2) inferior in condition or quality: as (shabby, run-down <seedy clothes>), somewhat disreputable (<a seedy district> <a seedy lawyer>)
3) slightly unwell (debilitated <felt seedy and went home early>)


The "Online Etymology Dictionary" (© 2010 Douglas Harper) has this to say about the origin of "seedy":
"1440, "fruitful, abundant," from seed (n.). Meaning "shabby" is attested from 1739, probably in allusion to the appearance of a flowering plant that has run to seed."
But being "seedy" is the end of a successful cycle in the plant world. I find it interesting that something so positive botanically can come to mean almost the opposite in the non-plant world.


So today I am celebrating in pictures, a seedy and wonderful end for these plants:

Virginia Creeper with berries

Fuchsia with "berries"
?


Tomatillo




Clematis 
Berries, seeds, nuts, hips and samaras are the start and the end of the plant life cycle. Every year in my garden I have a number of plant "volunteers", plants that appear and which I have not seeded. They are seeds from a previous season or seeds that grow from the compost layer that I add to the soil. Among this years "volunteers" or "surprises" was a tomatillo plant.



Rose hips
"The rose hip, also known as rose haw or rose hep, is the fruit of the rose plant, that typically is red-to-orange, but ranges from dark purple to black in some species. Rose hips begin to form after successful pollination of flowers in spring or early summer, and ripen in late summer through autumn.
Rose hips are used for herbal tea, jam, jelly, syrup, soup, beverages, pies, bread, wine, and marmalade.  They can also be eaten raw, like a berry, if care is used to avoid the hairs inside the fruit." (Wikipedia)
One single late bloom on my clematis and seed heads.



Wispy clematis seeds


Late season strawberries

Hover fly visiting strawberries


Echinacea seed head
Asparagus "berries"


Not "seedy" yet but I couldn't resist this Tansy

Sweet peas and pea pod
Mature pods containing sweet pea seeds


I don't know what the small berries or seeds below are, similar to but much smaller than a horse chestnut pod.



Thistle down or thistle seeds



Lupin seeds


Lady bug on Echinacea seed head


Underside of fern showing seeds or spores

Blackberries

Thistles kissed by dew
Almonds

Seed head on Vicar's Mead

Salal Berries
Acorn
I thought this grass looked a lot like "sparklers" partly burned down.


Laitrus seeds

One thing is certain though, these creatures think "seedy" is a really good thing - it's their Thanksgiving feast.





I hope you have enjoyed my quirky look at "seedy".

Here is a painting that I finished this week, it is titled "Putting on a Show". It is a watercolour of a Hollyhock that I saw in rural France and photographed.


I had a bit of difficulty getting my husband to stop so that I could take some pictures of this flower, but I'm glad he did stop, I am really pleased with the painting.

Lastly, I apologize for being largely absent from blogland this past week, but I have been busy updating my website. I changed the content, the order, some of the names and the prices and I added a "New items and Specials" page to the gallery:
http://pswhimsy.myshopify.com/collections/new-items-and-specials/

I am glad you stopped by, I love your comments and feedback.

Happy Whimsy Wednesday, until next week ..............

35 comments:

  1. Wonderful and not at all seedy.
    Another wonderful piece of art. taking photographs in company I find a waste of time....he ought to be grateful that you are not settling down and painting from life.

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  2. Gillian, I enjoyed your "seedy" series. I am sure the birds are very happy with all the seeds around right now. The squirrels and critters are happy with the acorns. Lovely images and your watercolor is gorgeous. Have a wonderful day!

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  3. All the seeds in my part of the wold are at the other end of the life cycle. Lots of little green leaves pushing out of the soil. I dont know why I ever bother to buy tomato plants for the garden - so many tomato seedlings just pop up I should use them!

    Like that dark looking squirrel.


    Stewart M - Australia

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  4. What gorgeous shots of the flowers. It still looks lovely and warm where you are.

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  5. There is beauty in all the blooms transforming but I especially liked the flower where an adorable ladybug is resting.

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  6. Wow! They are still beautiful the plants in your photos and splendid art!

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  7. all of your photos are wonderful. i like your look at the seedy side of life and how it is bountiful. :) the clematis 'hair' is too cool!

    your hollyhock is gorgeous! so delicate and subtle, but so stunning!

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  8. Now the word “seedy” was input into my vocabulary, but I don’t understand why “seedy” has negative meanings (2,3). Is it because the plants which have seeds are old and almost withered? Bearing seeds is not just end but transferring life to the next generation, fulfillment of one’s life. In a seed, life is contained, and seed itself looks like a universe. Seedy plants are so beautiful as your photos show. So, I wonder why? Anyway, language is human invention and meaning is changing. Why don’t we use it positive? I’m so pleased with this post.

    Yoko

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  9. love the thistle....

    the ladybug....

    but your flower art is my favorite!!

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  10. Gillian i really enjoyed looking at the various pictures of seeds you posted. Next year's beauty is contained within them...Glad to hear you had such great weather on Thanksgiving. We had the first dusting of snow overnight but hopefully it will melt and dry again soon so the combining can be finished. Take care!

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  11. Wonderful shots and painting. I've always wondered about how seedy came to mean so many different things.

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  12. I very much like these photos that show how beautiful seeds are. :)

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  13. Very interesting photos of all the seeds and seedy things. I had to look up a few of the names and then found similar seeds with different names where I live.

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  14. Great theme and lovely closeups. It really makes me want to grab my camera and get to work. Have a good Thanksgiving.

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  15. Lovely shots Gillian, I really enjoyed all the variety you found.

    What an amazing painting.

    Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

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  16. You illustrated the word "seedy" beautifully with your photographs and delightful painting, Gillian.I loved this fresh approach to a word that has taken a bit of a "bad rap" but will now be thought of differently in your readers' minds. P.S. I especially loved the ladybug photo and the sharp detail that you are getting with the new camera.

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  17. wow...here I can improve my English!
    And the photos are fantastic! I thank you, dear! Kisses
    BShell

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  18. gorgeous post ! love to spend a while on your wonderful blog

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  19. I love the painting, it's beautiful. The "seedy" display also is brilliant, cheers Gillian.

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  20. Wonderful post, as usual. The artwork is really incredible. I think it's my favourite.

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  21. I love all of your "seedy photos, but I really love the beautiful painting at the end. It is so delicate and translucent--beautiful.

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  22. Your painting is beautiful--so full of light and life, delicately portrayed.

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  23. Oh, poor seeds. Without seeds, the life cycle of plants will be over!
    Yes, there is a big difference between appearances of seeds and flowers. I do hope that someday the meaning of "seedy" will evolve and become positive.
    Thanks a lot for such an interesting post!!
    keiko

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  24. Wonderful selection and variety of seeds. Where would wee be without them.

    Your painting at the end is excellent.

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  25. So many wonderful photos. I your painting is beautiful. I had to smile when you stated that you had a hard time to get your hubby to pull over to get shots. That happens to me all the time.

    Hugs~

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  26. Beautiful pictures, Gillian, but it is your painting that is my favourite. I think I may well qualify for the second (and possibly third) definition of 'seedy'!

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