13 Apr 2013

A - Z Challenge - L



Linaria vulgaris. Loyal.

 The distinctive flowers of this dense-spiked Linaria plant resemble bright yellow snapdragons with an orange centre. Toadflax grows in hedgebanks, waste places and sunny slopes. The old medicinal herb is still used to some extent today in the treatment of jaundice and other liver diseased, dropsy and skin sores and ulcers. Its name comes from the once common presence as a weed of flax. Called 'Krotenflacks' in Germany, this was translated as Toadflax.

The definition of loyal: Steadfast in allegiance to one's homeland, government, or sovereign. Faithful to a person, ideal, custom, cause, or duty. I read a news item last month about a loyal dog, who returned alone every day to the church where he used to attend with his owner. He sat there patiently, waiting for her to return, even attending her funeral. The priest, who had recently lost a dog of his own, allowed the German Shepherd to sit quietly beside the pulpit until the service was over, then let him out.


Proverb: Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone.

24 comments:

  1. Another new one for me to try and look for. It's a lovely yellow, nice and bright.

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  2. Love the story of the dog, it's so sweet. Dogs will be loyal and faithful when most people aren't.

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    1. Dogs are incredible. Of course, people are more complicated.

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  3. Wow
    What a story . Dogs can be more loyal thAn any being Nd faithful too
    Good luck
    Fellow A to Zer

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  4. What a beautiful story about the dog. It is similar to the story of Greyfriars Bobby in Edinburgh who sat 14 years guarding the grave of his owner. Lovely post.

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    1. Oh, yes. I'd forgotten about that story. They made a movie of it, didn't they?

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  5. very nice post. Rather poignant

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    1. Poignant is such a descriptive word. I can almost taste salty tears as it drips from my mind.

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  6. What a lovely flower and a touching story about loyalty. Nice to meet you on the A to z Challenge.

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  7. The dog story warms my heart. That truly is loyalty in action! Happy A-to-Z 2013! ~Angela, Whole Foods Living, http://www.wholefoodsliving.blogspot.com/

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    1. Wouldn't life be wonderful if everyone had the same loyalty?

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  8. Super pretty. I'd plant those in my garden. =)

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    1. You're right. They are pretty enough to plant them on purpose.

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  9. You certainly know your flowers. Thank you for the education :)

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    1. Hehe. It's amazing what you can learn by researching a subject in books or on the internet.

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  10. This is such a lovely flower; it certainly would brighten up the gloomy English weather!

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  11. Your posts remind me of my childhood when wild flowers were abundant in Australia. Thank you for bringing back memories.

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    1. And thank you for gogging my thoughts of my childhood back in Adelaide.

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  12. Hi Francene .. Toadflax - such a wonderful name .. and then your wonderful loyal dog story - so sad .. cheers Hilary

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    1. Maybe somebody will adopt the name. Just think: Toadflax Gookinheimer. Has a nice ring.

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