#upper mississippi

[calicoadventures]

Ever wonder what the headwaters of the longest river in North America look like? Wait no longer! Check out our newest video NOW:

[fatehbaz]

Rattlesnake roundup events in the United States.

The “World’s Largest Rattlesnake Roundup” occurs in Sweetwater, Texas, held annually in the month of March since at least 1958. Texas government agencies estimate that, each year, up to 24,000 pounds or more of rattlesnake will be “harvested.”

[alliluyevas]

was trying to find info about nickname names and social classes and im screaming at "ethnic names like bubba" i wasnt aware that being redneck was an ethnicity now

[rjzimmerman]

Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.

Excerpt from this story from Madison.com:

A federal appeals panel heard arguments Wednesday in a case involving a controversial power line through southwest Wisconsin that could influence future permitting decisions on lines considered critical for a clean energy transition.

Conservation groups oppose the line, known as Cardinal-Hickory Creek, which would run 102 miles between Dubuque, Iowa, and Middleton. They argue it is unneeded and too expensive, would mar the Driftless landscape and cannot legally cross the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.

Utilities building the project at a cost of more than $500 million say it will improve reliability and deliver clean energy to places where it’s needed, while industry groups and academics argue the electric grid needs far more such long-distance lines to wean itself off fossil fuels.

The utilities are seeking to overturn U.S. District Court Judge William Conley’s ruling that the environmental review for the line was inadequate and that the project is incompatible with the wildlife refuge.

Conley barred the utilities from building within the 260,000-acre refuge, effectively blocking the planned river crossing, and ruled that a proposed land exchange cannot be used “to evade Congress’ mandate” for the refuge, which covers 261 river miles between Rock Island, Illinois, and Wabasha, Minnesota.

While they have not presented any alternative routes, the utilities have continued construction on either side of the river, spending at least $337.5 million, according to the most recent quarterly report to state regulators.

Opponents have asked the court to overturn Conley’s ruling that utilities can build outside of the refuge, which he called an “orchestrated train wreck.”

The appeals panel, composed of two Republican appointees and one Democratic appointee, appeared skeptical of the argument that the Fish and Wildlife Service could sidestep statutory requirements with a land swap.

[meulia]

biloxi upper elementary school in biloxi, mississippi

[psychoticwillgraham]

lovely :)

[redbird-tf]

Im not afraid of you now

Dean winchester x sister reader

Summary: After a failed hunt, a conflict between john and dean reveals y/ns repressed fear of dean and its strain on their bond.

(Summaries suck, i promise the stories better)

Note: inspired by and lyrics used from forward beckoned rebound

Word count: 920

Warnings: john being a bad parent,profanity, aggression, alcohol/drinking

“Fucking disaster” John grumbled stepping into the house followed by all 3 of his kids. It wasn’t often that there was a family hunt, but on the occasion that there was it meant something big was going down. They had tracked a demon through multiple big cities until they could catch up to it in Mississippi. The demon got away, thanks to various mistakes from all parties, though John would never admit to his faults. “Now we’ve got to wait for it to show its face god knows where and when!” John exclaimed throwing his duffle bag to the ground.

Sam clicked his tongue in disbelief before turning to his father. “You think this is all our fault don't you?” Sam furrowed his brows stepping up to John. “Guys, come on..” Dean groaned pinching the bridge of his nose. He was too tired to deal with another catfight. “You were the one who refused to tell us anything about this demon!” Sam yelled pointing his finger at John “i told you what i needed to!” John shouted shoving Sam back. “And you-“John had grabbed your arm as you tried walking past him. “I told you not to move until i called for you” John stated in a stern tone “but Sam needed-“You tried to explain, he didn't care, “i told you not to move!” He inched closer to your face. “Alright enough” Neither of you had seen Dean approaching until he was right in front of you. Dean gripped your upper arm, slightly gentler than John, and pushed you back a few feet behind him.

“I know we screwed up, but don't do this now.” Dean pleaded, he was too exhausted to fight but he wouldn't stand to see his younger siblings be attacked. “What are you doing Dean,” John asked cocking his head to the side “We can talk about this later” Dean explained with heavy eyes. “You trying to play daddy Dean?” He questioned dean. “No sir” he replied blankly “i leave you to take care and train them, not bring them back to me weaker!” John got closer and closer to him with every word. “I said enough!” Dean retaliated. Dean clenched his jaw, there was a moment of silence before John spoke up again “you think you can do it better, but shes just as afraid of you as she is of me” John muttered pointing behind Dean.

Dean turned his head to look at you. He watched your eyes dart from John to him, like a deer caught in headlights. You inhaled sharply, swallowing the lump in your throat along with the shame building inside of you. Dean lowered his head, bumping shoulders with John on his way out the door. You locked eyes with John before muttering out through gritted teeth “You're an asshole” you quickly turned your back making a beeline for your room. Sam tried to hold you, but you pulled away and he didn’t attempt to follow you.

————————————

Your back rested against the backboard of your bed, book in hand while you tried to distract yourself from the guilt pledging your mind, but it was no use. You couldn’t stop seeing the pure hurt on Dean's face. What John said was true, to an extent. You knew dean loved you, but you’ve never been able to cuddle up to him or talk to him like you could with Sam. Not to mention the whole macho man act he constantly put up, you had never thought about it until now. You hadn’t realized that it was all to keep you safe, so you could be emotional and make mistakes. The realization of your brother's sacrifice made you feel so much worse.

Your eyes shoot up to the door hearing it creek open. “Dad?” You called out. “No, just me,” Dean said walking into the room. You watched in silence as he sat at the edge of your bed. he eyed the sheets before his gaze met yours and he breathed out, his breath lined with the scent of whisky as it usually was at this hour. “I'm sorry i scared you earlier” he stated, you stayed silent “i don't ever mean to scare you” his tone was stern yet comforting. “I understand” you whispered so low you don't know if he heard, but he went on with his half-drunken apology “you know, i get it… when you were born, you were an infant, and innocent and i was already this villain and violent guy” he perused his lips together, too far into his mind. “Dean” you placed your hand over his clutched one “I'm not afraid of you now,not anymore” he gave you a small smile.

“May i?” He asked pulling back the sheets. you nodded watching him kick off his shoes and climb in next to you. His arm wrapped around your waist, pulling you close as He secured the embrace by clasping his wrist with his other hand. Both arms cradled you now. “Dean…” you mumbled, and you felt his sleepy “mhm” vibrate his chest “thank you…for everything” you whispered as your thumb smoothed his forearm. “Always baby” he pressed his lips to your temple, drifting off while holding you tight.

[hometoursandotherstuff]

Granted, this looks like a lovely 1877 second empire townhouse with a Mansard roof. It's in Minneapolis, MN, has 1bd, 1.5ba, and is listed for $1.2M + $1,029mo HOA (which really surprised me).

This is no ordinary townhouse. Walk through the cathedral-like doors and to the right is a small bar and wine rack.

And, to the left is this magnificent dining room under a dreamy carved wood pavilion with a painted ceiling.

But, that's not all. Check out the natural looking stone wall. And, the description says that it could possibly be an old tunnel that was sealed. (I would have to take a sledgehammer to it, then.)

Have you ever seen a fancier powder room? Fabric is on the wall in an assortment of carved frames with a mirror to match. The sink base is an intricately carved wood piece with a marble top. The faucet looks like a gold swan drinking from a large crystal bowl. Wow, I know I would chip that sink.

The casual living/family room features a brick wall with an arch and shelving. The rest of the room has lovely tall wainscoting and beamed wood ceilings. It also has stained glass upper windows.

The everyday dining room is right outside the kitchen.

Have you ever seen a kitchen like this? The wood countertops have flowers painted on them. Just noticed that's an Aga stove. (That size costs about $23K.)

The backsplashes over the stove and sink are detailed mosaics.

Even the little nook by the coffee bar has a mosaic backsplash.

The home is on 3 levels, so it's difficult to determine what floor this room is on. As you can see it's very elegant, very pink, with lovely white wainscoting, a magnificent fireplace and gold accents.

It looks comfortable and sunny, though. Love the chandelier, corbels and decals on the walls. (I'm not into tapestries, however.)

The owner commissioned a muralist to paint the stairwells. Note the fancy doors.

There's only 1 bd. and it has murals of the mountains of Japan, plus woven walls to make it look like a Minka, a traditional Japanese home.

Check out the entrance to the en-suite guarded by Fu Dogs.

The black granite tub has a big dragon head faucet. Wow, this is insane. Look at the floor and the wood walls.

Even the pattern in the shower looks like mountains.

Behind the doors there's a washer and dryer.

The sink vanity looks like an antique Japanese bureau and look at the private room for the black toilet.

You get 1 garage and 2 open spaces.

That's the Mississippi River across the street. It looks like there's a rooftop deck with sun rooms, too.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/8-Grove-St-8B-Minneapolis-MN-55401/1913645_zpid/

[fishenjoyer1]

Fish of the Day

Today's fish of the day is the muskellunge!

The muskellunge, also called a musky, lunge, ski, and scientific name Esox masquinongy, is known for being the largest species of pike. Muskellunge can be found around the rivers of Michigan, specifically the Great Lakes region, Canadian waters, St Lawrence River, and around the Mississippi and Ohio river valleys. Outside of their natural range, they can also be found around the Tennessee river, South Carolina rivers, and as far South as Upper Georgia, where they are kept stocked intentionally for recreational fishing. They live around clean and clear waters with little silt, preferring to surround themselves with aquatic vegetation and weeds. This is because they tend to lurk near weedy shores and rocky outcroppings, although they can be found in deeper waters during the summer.

The diet of the muskie is made up primarily of other fish, although they will also eat: frogs, water birds, rats, and other animals that can be found in and around their environments. On rare occasions, muskellunge have been reported attacking dogs and children They attack other animals in an ambush, where the muskie will swiftly bite and swallow, not allowing any time for prey to fight back or escape. They can get as large as 50 inches in length, but there are claims of fish getting as large as 6ft. They have few predators, only large birds, such as bald eagles, other larger muskellunge or pike, and human fishing. With human fish thought to be the cause of their declining numbers.

Similar to other pikes, the muskellunge form small schools, and will claim territories that they fiercely defend, only becoming more aggressive during the breeding season. They spawn in the spring, like other pike, finding clean rocks or sandy bottomed rivers to lay their eggs. Spawning is only around a week to two weeks in length, and eggs are abandoned almost immediately. Once born, juveniles are only a few cm in length, but can get as large as 12 inches by their first year of life, and can get as old as 12-18 years.

That's the muskie fish, have a good day, everyone!

[amtrak-official]

[calicoadventures]

We recently took a day trip along both sides of the upper Mississippi Rover, and we filmed our favorite parts. Check out our latest Calico Adventure now!

[littlefeather-wolf]

🔥🔥The Crow are also called the Apsáalooke, Absaroka, and Apsaroke. Their name was given them by the Hidatsa, and meant “people [or children] of the large-beaked bird.” Historically, they lived in the Yellowstone River Valley. A Siouan tribe, they once were part of the Hidatsa, living around the headwaters of the upper Mississippi River in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin. Later, the Crow moved to the Devil’s Lake region of North Dakota, before splitting with the Hidatsa and moving westward.

Settling in Montana, the tribe split once again into two divisions, called the Mountain Crow and the River Crow. They were first encountered by two Frenchmen in 1743 near the present-day town of Hardin, Montana. When the Lewis and Clark expedition came upon them in 1804, they estimated some 350 lodges with about 3,500 members ...

[omg-im-such-a-masochist]

Box Of Wishes

Summary: Brain refuses to come up with something decent, let alone translate it, so this is basically everyone’s wish: Threesome with Drilla and Clark.

Pairing: Drilla Moloney x F!Reader x Clark Connors

Warnings: +18, smut, threesome, mixed feelings (because c’mon, it’s a threesome), adult language, explicit sex scenes, anal sex, double penetration, vaginal sex, mutual masturbation, oral sex.

Tags: @theworldofotps , @writtingrose , @daddyhausen , @melissahausen , @unoficialy-married-to-ace-austin , @sophiewolfheart-blog , @sultryfandoms , @new-zealand-chic , @crowleysqueenofhell , @thealliasylum , @legit9thlunaticwarrior , @mjfass , @josiewrites , @seeingstarks , @irish-newzealand-idian-dutch , @whenimakeitshine1234 , @moxkindagirl , @sunshinevirus , @im-just-a-mississippi-girl , @ripleyswhore , @brideofinfamy

Your eyes stared at the small wooden box with uncertainty. It sounded like a good plan - under the influence of honeyed whiskey - but now, in your sober state of mind, you weren’t sure anymore.

“Dan, this is stupid. I don’t think we should do this” You sighed, leaning back to rest on the couch. An annoyed grunt escaped your lips once you remembered everything you wrote in there. Why did my drunk ass think it would be a good idea to write down every secret sex fantasy I’ve ever had? You thought to yourself as Dan’s hand came to rest on your thigh.

“C’mon, Munkie. This could be fun” He smiled, “Don’t give up that fast. Let’s see what comes out of it and then we’ll talk about it. What do you say?”

“I think it’s unfair that only my fantasies are in there”

“Well, that’s because you feel embarrassed to tell me what you want, Munks. I want you to feel comfortable enough to say what you’re in the mood for. I don’t like to think that I'm the only one getting satisfied in this relationship”.

“But you’re not, Dan! I like everything we do-”

“Yeah, but we’re only doing what I want to do, and that’s not how this works!” Dan’s lips came to rest upon your cheek, “C’mon, Munkie, let me see what you’ll draw”.

With one last deep breath, your hand sank inside the small box. The several pieces of paper tickled your fingertips, matching the light scraping of Dan’s beard against your jawline. It was a nice distraction that unfortunately didn’t last that long.

“Oh fuck, no. No, no, no, no!” Your eyes widened in shock. Your legs had a mind of their own, quickly dragging you away from Dan and the couch.

“What is it?” He asked with a concerned frown. “Munkie, what’s wrong?”, after only silence answered him back, Dan swiftly caught the piece of paper - that fell upon the ground - in his hand and it took him a few seconds to process what was written.

Threesome w/ Clark was scrambled with pink ink on the white paper. He’d done this before with Clark, but it was usually with one-night stands where feelings were the last thing involved. But this was you, his little munkie. Dan had a lot more to lose if things went wrong, but at the same time, he felt it was unfair to say no. This was your first fantasy, the first time you agreed to share it with him - even if through a piece of paper.

“Mun-mun, come here” Dan pats the seat beside him, “Let’s talk about it, love”

“There’s nothing to talk about, Dan! We’re not gonna do it!”

“Love, it’s-”

“Save it, Moloney! The answer is no!”

Your eyes stared intently at the four cans of Coke you managed to drink in the last 10 minutes. That was the first rule: everyone needed to be sober. Your hands shook, but you were uncertain if it was due to nervousness or the caffeine.

“Do you think I should take another shower?” You asked while trying to sniff your armpit

Dan held back a chuckle as he stood up from the armchair by the window to make his way toward you on the hotel’s bed. “I don’t know, let me check” He spoke as seriously as he could. Dan’s nose followed an invisible line from your upper arm to your neck, where he took a deep breath in before teasing your pulse point with his teeth.

“You smell divine” He whispered in your ear “Kinda makes me want to start without him”.

That was the second rule: everything would start once all three of you were in the same room.

Dan’s lips traveled from your ear to your cheek, and then finally to your lips. His teeth playfully nibble on your bottom lip, tugging and pulling until he captures the flesh with his lips. His arms circled your waist, pulling you closer to his body. Your lower belly pressed against his half-hard cock, and a small huff escaped your lips when he slapped your ass.

“I thought you weren’t supposed to start anything until I got here” Clark spoke from the door, his voice coated with amusement.

Dan’s unsatisfied grunt echoed in the room as he pulled away from your lips “I didn’t start anything! I was just kissing my girlfriend…can I at least do that?”

With a humorous smile, Clark closed the door behind him. “Sure, suit yourself!”. Settling his wallet and phone on top of the bedside table, Clark’s eyes met yours over Dan’s shoulder. The light blue slowly shifted to a darker color the more he watched Dan’s head burying on your neck.

Clark sat on the bed, taking off his snickers and throwing it by the door before pulling himself far back on the bed until his back rested against the headboard. Blue eyes stared intently as Dan pushed you down on the bed. “Forget that he’s here for now” The dark-haired man whispered in your ear when you stiffened once Clark’s hand brushed your hair away from your face.

“Just focus on me, Munkie. Pretend it’s just the two of us, ok?” Dan softly whispered, pulling away from your lips after you nodded in agreement. “Tell me what you want, Munks”, his gruff voice stated, eyes searching for an answer right before you said, “I wanna taste you. I miss having your cock in my mouth”.

“Fuck, love. If we’re gonna go down that road, I won’t last much”.

Dan’s upper body rested against the headboard, much like Clark’s - who still watched you from the side. Your nails softly scratched up and down Dan’s muscular thighs, a soft hiss escaping his lips as you sucked on his tip.

“Oh fuck me, so fucking good” He bites his knuckles in an attempt to gain some self-control back as you kept staring at him with his cock in your mouth. “Fuck, you drive me mad. So fucking mad!” Dan snarled, tugging on your hair as you giggled.

Clark understands the appeal now. You are a beautiful woman, but Clark never really understood why Dan spoke so highly of your sex skills whenever he was insanely drunk. You seemed innocent, a casual lay. Intimate but quite boring if he was honest with himself, Clark often called it “safe sex”, you just go with someone who will offer you good sex, not mind-blowing but ‘ok for a Friday night’ sex. Nothing crazy, just that simple casualty that satisfies you for a while.

You weren’t the typical “hot gym girl”, the ones Clark would go for quite often, but you were…bland? He felt like it wasn’t the best description, it sounded mildly offensive somehow. Maybe because it was you? Clark likes you, you’re his best friend’s woman - a woman he was for some reason dying to fuck right now - but Dan’s girl no matter what. You’re a kind person, truly a sweetheart, you are fun, smart, and looks-wise you are very beautiful, however, there is an innocence that shields your womanly beauty. To Clark you were beautiful, in an “I’ll put her in a tiny jar” kinda way, not in a “I wonder what is like to fuck her” way. So the countless times he spent hearing Dan praise you as a sex goddess incarnated were confusing, “must be the alcohol” Clark thought to himself whenever Dan started his monologues of how his ‘little mouse ruined him for any other woman’. Drunks tend to tell the truth, Clark knows that, but he also knows they tend to exaggerate reality. So he didn’t think much of it, a part of him felt curious as to how much of that was true, a matter that never got fully discussed because sober Dan threatened to punch Clark in the face if he ever dared to speak of you like that.

“But you were the one who told me those things yesterday!” Clark always pinpointed the obvious.

“I was drunk, very needy, incredibly horny, and emotionally vulnerable! It was your job to not pay attention to one single word I had to say! I was just venting” Was Dan’s typical answer.

But now, as Clark stares at you between Dan’s thighs, he finally gets it. You are a devil sent, a vixen able to murder a man with only a look. The giggles that escaped your lips every time Dan slapped your face, the way your ass wiggled in the air with excitement, the eagerness you exude to have Dan’s cock back in your mouth, the way you smile every time he calls you his “good little bitch”, has Clark’s cock painfully hard in his white boxer briefs.

He’s never been with a woman like you, so powerful, so hypnotic, so confident. It was driving him insane. A primal part of Clark has been awoken. He needs to have you…he needs to have you right now.

So sweet, so addictive…your taste, your little moans, the way you pushed yourself against his face. Clark’s hands closed around your hips, pulling you further back into his face.

“Oh my god” You moaned softly, pulling away from Dan’s cock to rest your face against his thick thigh.

“What’s wrong, Munkie? Does it feel too good?” Dan chuckled, his hand pushing your hair away from your face as you stared up at him.

“Yes, sir. So good” You replied weakly, leaving small butterfly kisses on his shaft - that rested against your cheek.

“Fuck, you look so fucking gorgeous like this” Dan praised, pushing your hair away from your face as your eyes closed from pleasure.

Clark pulled his head away from your core, backing up from between your thighs to watch your reaction to his fingers traveling up and down your folds. His thumb drew lazy circles around your clit, keeping you on edge as his middle and ring finger slowly entered your pussy. He watched you gasp loudly before your lips opened wide to secure Dan’s cock back in your mouth.

It was a hypnotic sight, Dan was solely focused on you while you were completely focused on the sensations. Clark couldn’t stop staring at you, his fingers slowly changed in pace and pressure, he was testing all the little things that made you moan louder, frown deeper, and beg for more. Clark was reveling in the feeling of having so much power over you, of how expressive your body was and how much it would silently tell him everything he needed to know. There was no over-the-top moaning, no character being played, no attempt to be “the best fuck he’s ever had”, no fake orgasms, no need to impress him with crazy positions and tricks.

It was simply pleasure in its rawest, purest, deepest, and most sincere form. And that’s what made this experience so carnal and desire-driven to him, the raw honesty of it all was the main cause for his uncontrollable need to feel you around him.

Blurry vision, dry mouth, hoarse voice, shaky limbs.

Devotion, need, fulfillment, desire, passion, pure instinct.

It felt like a dream, a dream he never wanted to end. Is this what sex supposed to feel like? This connection, the sensations…the feelings, the thoughts. Everything else seemed so shallow now compared to this.

The one-night stands lost their value, their fun, their distracting nature. They left his balls and soul empty, but this? Clark never felt so alive before in his life.

You were straddling Clark’s hips, facing him, his blue eyes stared directly into your soul, you were reveling in the feeling of his cock slowly sliding in and out of your pussy, going in the opposite direction of Dan’s movements.

Dan’s lips rested against your ear, hushed words escaping his lips. A secret, meant for only you to hear.

“You’re still mine, right, Munks? Only mine?”

You looked over your shoulder to the pair of dark orbs behind you. Your lips covered his in a passionate kiss, pouring every ounce of your heart into it, trying to express every emotion you felt with your lips, but still, it didn’t feel like enough.

You pulled yourself away from the boys, their confused frowns soon disappearing once you turned around in Clark’s lap to now face Dan.

You guided Clark’s cock into your ass this time, where Dan was minutes ago. You felt the rubber of the condom going in easily as Clark softly whispered “Oh my fucking God” from behind you.

With your eyes now staring at Dan, you guided his hand to your pussy, silently asking him to fill you up with his fingers, and he instantly did.

Your fist closed around his cock, gliding up and down his thickness. “I’m yours only. No one compares to you, no one can replace you” Was your answer. Your voice was hushed, mere above a whisper, mirroring Dan’s tone.

“Can we please never do this again? I don't think I have what it takes to do this again. Not with you…my feelings are too raw, too real, too deep. I can’t…I feel like I’m losing you”.

Your hands momentarily stopped stroking him and you asked with concern “Do you want to stop?”

Dan’s free hand closed around your fist as he guided your hand to continue to stroke him. “No” He answered with a reassuring smile, “I just don't want to share you with anyone else ever again”.

“Consider it done” You smiled back, moaning when the sync of his fingers and Clark’s cock became too much for you to bear.

“Are you gonna cum, Munkie?” Dan smirked upon seeing your half-open lids.

You nodded in agreement before Dan pulled you away from Clark to toss you on your back on the mattress.

“What the fuck, man?” Clark protested, eyes snapping open at the sudden lack of your warmth covering him.

“I want her to come in my mouth” Dan growled, his lips already hovering over your pussy. His tongue darted out, tasting your wetness.

“Didn’t you want to know how good at giving head she is?” Your boyfriend asked his best friend. “It’s time for you to find out, mate” Dan smirked, his lips already returning to his favorite place in the world.

Clark quickly removed the condom, throwing it somewhere over his shoulder. You eagerly licked his crown, earning a moan from the blonde man.

“So you were wondering all along?” You teased with a mischievous smile.

“Yeah,” The blonde man chuckled. “And I can’t wait to find out” His hands caressed your hair back so he could get a better glimpse at your face “But something tells me I won’t regret it, baby. If anything it’ll fuck me up” Clark’s throaty laugh died in his throat the minute your lips closed around his tip.

Yep, he was, beyond any reasonable doubt, completely fucked.

[cryptid-quest]

Cryptid of the Day: Washington’s Eagle

Description: Featured in Birds of America by John James Audubon in 1827, Washington’s Eagle was described as 4ft 7in, with a wingspan of 10ft 2in, seen around the upper Mississippi River. Due to a lack of sightings, the bird is no longer accepted as a valid species. 

[snototter]

Tundra swans (Cygnus columbianus) take flight from the upper Mississippi River, Brownsville, Minnesota

by Larry Reis

[kimberly40]

When you’re very small, running barefoot through damp grass on a summer evening, honeysuckle’s scent beckons like fireflies. It’s an alluring smell that, on the scale of things that will someday make you weep with longing, is somewhere between a magnolia blossom and your mother’s best perfume.

First, you pull off a creamy white or pale yellow flower. Then you hold it with the green base up. You carefully tug off the little green cap and draw out the single thread of the stamen. If you’re lucky and the fairies are with you, you’ll be rewarded with a drop of nectar, a small sip of sweetness, hanging on the end of the thread.

It’s a joy best savored by the young and patient, those with mouths so small and taste buds so fresh that the little drop seems as big and sweet as a Nik-L-Nip, those wax bottles of colored sugar syrup.

It’s like God loved Southern children so much, he draped the woods with a candy counter, free for the taking, proof that life will always be delicious and full of promise.

And then, inevitably, we grow up. As we get larger, tiny pleasures like honeysuckle blossoms don’t seem like such a big deal anymore. We get lives and yard work and mortgages, and we discover that not everything lovely is carefree.

• • •

The honeysuckle that festoons our woods is Japanese honeysuckle, and it’s an outsider here, an invader that pushed its way in, like kudzu and wisteria, those other vines that came from the outside and stayed to color the Southern landscape. Honeysuckle is not supposed to be here. It’s just another visitor that dropped by and liked it here too much to leave.

This rampant vine, first brought from its native Japan to U.S. shores on Long Island, New York in 1806, absolutely loves the Eastern climate. Propagating by berries spread by birds as well as running rhizomes, it proceeded to conquer just about all of the woodlands, roadsides, wetlands, and disturbed areas east of the Mississippi River. It invaded Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Missouri too.

Like most vines, Japanese honeysuckle is programmed to grow and spread and never stop. If it has nothing to climb, it creeps along the ground until it does. When it does, it twines around it until it reaches the top and then starts looking for something else to climb. It will readily reach the top of a 100-foot-tall tree. If it twines around a young tree, it can literally strangle it to death. As it travels from tree to tree in the woods, it forms impenetrable thickets.

There are some uses and benefits to honeysuckle though. Mainly regarded in traditional Chinese medicine, the Honeysuckle has long been used as a natural home remedy to treat inflammation, stomach upset, upper respiratory infections, fever and more.

•Learn more about the benefits of honeysuckle at: https://www.greenshieldorganic.com/honeysuckle-benefits-and-uses/

(by Kathleen Purvis)