On The Greenbrier River Trail

After arriving Friday evening at the cabin in the wilds of Seebert, we decided that on Saturday we would have a picnic at the Cranberry Mountain Nature Center and then an afternoon walk through Cranberry Glades. Saturday was a beautiful day. Sam was taking his morning nap when the kids decided to walk on the Greenbrier River Trail. Grandma stayed at the cabin with Sam and Grandpa (me!) walked with Jeff and Sarah. I have posted info on the trail in earlier blogs.

The Greenbrier River Trail runs in back of the cabin and is a wonderful walking experience with so many wildflowers bordering the path. This trail follows the Greenbrier River for 79 miles - starting at Cass and ending at Lewisburg.

The late summer composites are now blooming. The flowers of Queen Ann's Lace were abundant. This critter is in the parsley family and is also called wild carrot.

The seeds are said to be a beneficial antiseptic diuretic useful in the treatment of cystitis and prostatitis. Also, the seeds are used for the prevention and washing out of gravel and urinary stones. As a diuretic, it is claimed to help with dropsy and the elimination of uric acid from the body (thus, used for gout). The seeds, which are high in volatile oil, are soothing to the digestive system, useful for colic and flatulence. The root is very high in Vitamin A and minerals. The juice is reputed to have anti-cancer activity. The root helps to expel worms and is an effective antacid for heartburn and gastritis. A poultice of the root is excellent for first aid, especially for itchy skin. I would suggest that you be careful with these above suggestions. There are several similar plants that are very toxic- poisonous hemlock comes to my mind.

Below Jeff is photographing some flora and I am not sure what Sarah is doing with my walking sticks. She may be swatting a horsefly off Jeff's hat. (Ouch!)

Another two flowering plants we encountered were the showy yellow woodland sunflowers and the delicate wild bergamot. Bergamot is a member of the mint family.

I love these times when I can learn more about nature and the uses that man have derived from natural products. Below is a plant I have known since my young days. It is called teasel. I did not know the derivation of the name, but I read it in the Audubon Field Guide upon returning to the cabin.

Teasel was formerly widely used in textile processing, providing a natural comb for cleaning, aligning and raising the nap on fabrics, particularly wool. The dried flower heads were attached to spindles, wheels, or cylinders, sometimes called teasel frames, to raise the nap on fabrics (that is, to tease the fibers). By the 20th century, teasels were largely replaced by metal cards, which could be made uniform and do not require constant replacement as the teasel heads wear. However, some people who weave wool still prefer to use teasels for raising the nap, claiming that the result is better; in particular, if a teasel meets serious resistance in the fabric, it will break, whereas a metal tool would rip the cloth.

The teasel blossom is unique and begins with a band of blue, lavender or purple flowers around the middle of each flower head and blooms both ways. The construction of the little flowers is as interesting as the rest of the plant. They are pollinated by bumblebees and honeybees. Honey made from their nectar has a very fine flavor. Date of U.S. introduction was 1700's.

We returned from our morning walk to find Sam up and Grandma was teaching him how to cook. We explained to Sam that we were ready to go on our picnic. He did not seem too upset to stop his food preparation.