A - Z Challenge - U

The reflection of British wildflowers in emotions.

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Urtica urens. Unaware.

Like the larger Common Stinging Nettle, the toothed leaves of this smaller plant Urtica are covered with stinging hairs. The small unisexual flowers are crowded into numerous clusters in the axis of the leaves. Pale green, bristly and stinging, the flowers have no petals. The Small Nettle grows in wasteland.

Unaware of the prickles, the passer-by soon learns to their cost how the nettle stings and throbs. Caveat emptor, an old Latin phrase meaning let the buyer beware—a warning that notifies a buyer that the goods he or she is buying are subject to all defects, seen or unseen. Be ready to think quickly in a situation and react to things that you are not expecting to encounter. Like a Samurai, spring around to face the threat with sword drawn. Like a woman walking alone at night on a deserted street, be ready to knock on the nearest door if a stalker is following you. Like a footballer, be ready to grab the ball and run to victory. By being unaware, you could get stung, physically, mentally, or financially. 

Rudyard Kipling quote: “If you can keep your wits about you while all others are losing theirs, and blaming you. . . . The world will be yours and everything in it, what's more, you'll be a man, my son.”

Proverb: They that sow the wind, shall reap the whirlwind.

A - Z Challenge - T

The reflection of British wildflowers in emotions.

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Thymus praecox. Thoughtful.

From the base of small rounded aromatic leaves, little heads of mauve flowers emerge from the thymus in summer. Wild thyme is a lover of warm places--sun warmed rocks, slopes, downs and acid heath, lowland hills and mountain areas and on sea-cliffs and sand dunes in coastal areas. Many thymus species are used in medicine and as culinary herbs, but the wild variety contains fewer active ingredients. Thyme is used in many cough medicines and as a treatment for bronchitis.

Once mastered, the practice of being thoughtful is the greatest gift you can give; and not just to friends and loved ones on special occasions and holidays … but to everyone, always. And, as you establish yourself as thoughtful to others, they'll go out of their way to please you back.

Thoughtfulness is a habit; internalized, it becomes a way of life, a part of our being. But it does take practice. Where do we start? Our daily life. Here are some good practice exercises. Do this for 21 days, as that's how long it takes to form a new habit (actually, we don't "form" new habits as much as "replace" old, ineffective ones).

Thoughtful people don't wait, they "create" opportunities to make life brighter and more enjoyable for those around them. But, how? Simple things. Holding the door open for anyone near you, regardless of gender or appearance. Soon, it's automatic, and even comes with a smile (and a smile back in return). When a baby in a restaurant is making a bit more noise than is comfortable, and you see the parent looking embarrassed, smile and comment on how cute the baby is.

Proverb: The darkest hour is just before the dawn.

A - Z Challenge - S

The reflection of British wildflowers in emotions.

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Salvia pratensis. Shy.

The pleasantly aromatic salvia plant grows in warm locations on downs and limestone hills. Whorls of dark-blue flowers grow from the base of heart-shaped leaves. They are so deep, insects have difficulty reaching the nectar. Yet the shy plant needs contact to reproduce. Long-tongued bumblebees cross pollinate the lipped flowers. A lever mechanism bends the antler down when the insect lands on the lower lip to suck the nectar at the bottom of the long flower tube.

Like the Salvia plant, shy people draw back from contact or familiarity with others; retiring or reserved. Shyness is the awkwardness or apprehension some people feel when approaching or being approached by other people. Unlike introverts, who feel energized by time alone, shy people often desperately want to connect with others, but don't know how or can't tolerate the anxiety that comes with human interaction.

Proverb: Silence is golden.

A - Z Challence - R

The reflection of British wildflowers in emotions.

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Ranunculus repens or acris. Responsible.

Typical of buttercups with their shiny yellow petals, this plant is a serious weed of farmland and gardens. Cattle refuse to eat ranunculus because of its acrid taste so the plant spreads when those around it are eaten. Many types of ranunculus are poisonous, but when dried for fodder, the effect is neutralized.

We are all responsible for the way our life turns out. Each choice we make leads us along another branch which could, in the end, lead to an undesirable consequence; in other words, poison us. The bully is responsible for their aggressive actions, the distraught child responsible for not standing firm. In the worst scenario, the person born into poverty must make a stand to rise above their circumstances. I'd hate to think how I could face such a tough life. But in the end when the product is dry, we must all be responsible for doing something as part of a job or role, or being the primary cause of something and so able to be blamed or credited for it.

Proverb: Seek and ye shall find.

A - Z Challenge - Q

The reflection of British wildflowers in emotions.

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Quinsy Wort. Quarrelsome.

Growing on sun-warmed slopes and gry grasslands, this British native quinsy is not a common species. At one time Asperula cynanchia was used in herb medicine to treat quinsy, hence it's common name. The condition of Quinsy is a complication of tonsillitis where a collection of pus develops between the back of one of the tonsils and the wall of the throat. Hard to know if the remedy worked on this serious condition. So many infections caused death back in the olden days.

Like the uncommon native quinsy, the word quarrelsome isn't in use much these days. For reference, I found these Bible quotes about a quarrelsome wife: "It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife." "A continual dripping on a rainy day and a quarrelsome wife are alike;" "It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman."

The word isn't linked to men. Perhaps all men were perfect husbands back then. Or maybe males weren't criticized. Quotes for husband of the same bent: "Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach ..." "What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?"

There's a chance that the quarrelsome wife will neglect the bigger picture.

Proverb: Penny wise and pound foolish.