Rain, Rescheduling, and Rattlesnakes

     Today was scheduled to be the design jam for our garden. But, due to freezing rain and frozen roads, Fred, the session leader and garden planner, was stranded in Iowa City. I almost slipped three times walking across campus, so a half hour drive does not seem like the best idea today. We are going to reschedule and hope that it doesn't rain or snow or blizzard on the rain date. 

     I know I'm a little bummed, but there are a few advantages. It hasn't rained or snowed in a while, so it's nice to have some of that again (even if it means slipping on the sidewalks). We will also have more time to advertise the event. Plus I can stay inside, enjoy coffee, read for class and be warm today.

    I also have more time to read Shirley's Tallgrass Prairie. Being over six feet tall, I'm attracted to taller plants. Rattlesnake master grows two to three feet high and has a great name. It was used (and could still be used) to treat rattlesnake bites. It grows in a wide range of soils and in full to partial sunlight. Rattlesnake master has a funky flower; it looks like a prickly ball that is white when young but acquires a blue or purple tinge as the plant ages. I don't own any pictures of them, but this one shows two plants vertically and this one shows a clump. This in a nice close-up of a flower. 

     The garden has southern exposure but Murray Hall blocks light around noon, so a plant that doesn't need sunlight all day will (hopefully) grow well. As far as I know, rattlesnake bites aren't a serious problem at Coe, but we could be prepared if ever someone gets bitten. 

Peter