… or spikiness, as the case may be. But even the spiky can be beautiful.
I knew this flower as Indian Paintbrush but it occurred to me that 1) probably the name is kind of racist & 2) probably the people who lived here first have another name for it so I went looking. The Dine name, it turns out, is Dahiitįį́hídą́ą́’tsoh & you may click on it for the pronunciation. I will need to listen to it a BUNCH more times before I’m willing to give it a try on my own, but putting in the effort seems only appropriate.
Anyway, they’re really gorgeous. & it turns out the flowers are edible!
We walked out to the Grandmother Piñon. I wish we’d been able to get a decent picture to show how truly HUGE she is, but, alas. She is old, though, & strong, & beautiful.
Her limbs house colonies of symbiotic lichens …
… & she drips with piñon resin. I took some from the trees around her, carefully, but I left hers alone.
I will SO VERY be going out there again, to sit & rest under her branches.
& maybe next time I’ll manage a decent picture.
(all photos by Inoru, who did just fine, Grandmother Piñon is just too big)
This was posted originally to my Patreon, a little over a week ago.
If you want to see these posts sooner, & not incidentally help support me & my cats in our travels & such, the way to do that is to sign up as one of my Patrons for as little as a buck a month.
I’d REALLY like that.
