Jack-go-to-bed-at-noon

Today the weather forecast caused me to get soaked again! I knew I had to go out twice, to walk the dogs and do the shopping, so I checked to see which would be the most favourable time for dog walking.The BBC said the morning would be dry, with showers getting more frequent through the afternoon, so the walk came first. Big mistake! Just as I got to the furthest point the heavens opened forcing me to shelter under a very inadequate hawthorn bush! But the world was wonderfully sparkly and sweet scented when the rain shower finally passed.

The early timing of my walk is confirmed by the fact that the goat's-beard Tragopogon pratensis was in full bloom. This is one of my favourite members of the dandelion family, with its eight star-like leafy bracts surrounding the yellow flowerhead. It opens its blossoms at daybreak and closes them before noon, except in cloudy weather, hence its old country name of 'Noon-flower' and 'Jack-go-to-bed-at-noon.'

This peculiarity was noticed more than once by the poets and referred to in Cowley's lines:
'The goat's beard, which each morn abroad doth peep
But shuts its flowers at noon and goes to sleep.'

Gerard also said: 'it shutteth itselfe at twelve of the clocke, and sheweth not his face open untill the next dayes Sun doth make it flower anew. Whereupon it was called go-to-bed-at-noone; when these flowers be come to their full maturitie and ripenesse they grow into a downy Blowball like those of Dandelion, which is carried away by the winde.' The seedheads are truly magnificent and may well make a furture blip!

I spent much of the afternoon cleaning the kitchen, watched by Russell crow, perched on the top of a large plastic owl. He's feeding well and seems to like being sociable. I had my i-pod on and he seemed to be listening to the music, particularly enjoying The Decemberists and Bellowhead, though he didn't seem to be so sure about Avenged Sevenfold.

Off to bed soon - Ben and I have an early start tomorrow for the dreaded exam.