Babs writes: Here we are in East Jordan with a lovely pair of swans. Now I think that purple is purple loosestrife, which is an invasive species that we are not supposed to like. I do like the color it adds to this photo, so I promise not to like it too much and will try not to photograph it ever again.
Yup. It probably is purple loosestrife, Babs. When I was on the Friends of the Jordan board, battling the stuff was a continuing saga. I think we can agree amongst ourselves, though, to like the species without liking its invasiveness. It is a lovely color . . . and I think you should take the pictures you want to take. Besides–I hate to break this to you, but the swans are invasive Mute Swans and they’ve chased off all the native Trumpeter Swans.
Practically everything decorative turns out to be “introduced,” and I don’t think there’s much we can do about stuff that’s been here for a century anyway. We might as well admire it while it takes over the places where other things used to grow–other things that were in all likelihood “introduced” themselves. Meanwhile isn’t the Jordan River splendid? All the cool people have been over there looking at it while I sit here staring at the screen and getting brain cramp. I believe I’d better go put the little kayak into it. If I can remember to keep the open side up it should be a nice paddle.
- Followup: PJ Grath has tried to link to this post to no avail, so we’re going to trick our rival blogging platforms. I’m going to link to her post right here. Ha! Take that! You really will enjoy her post, North Leelanau County from Low to High. Go ahead. You’ll love it. Virtual travel is broadening.
Torch Lake Views 
Cindy Lou
August 23, 2010
I just noticed loosestrife in the marsh at the head of Keweenaw Bay – it is a pretty plant, I must say. I’m sure someone will be all over it!? How was the kayak paddle on your splendid river? It looks lovely!
Gerry
August 23, 2010
Mm. I didn’t mean I was going to go over there right that minute. Right that minute it was already beginning to get dark, so I did some last minute errands and walked the dogs. But the kayak is going to get wet this week. That’s a promise. The Jordan River is splendid. It has been far too long since I was out on it.
flandrumhill
August 24, 2010
I’ve seen purple loosestrife growing in and near the ditches here. One species it tends to crowd out is the cattail which is far less bright and colorful. I doubt if many locals would uproot their loosestrife in order to preserve biodiversity. It is just too pretty.
The mute swans are quite pretty too. I can understand why they were introduced. When I think ‘swan,’ it’s usually an image of a mute swan with its bumped orange beak and curved neck that comes to mind.
Gerry
August 24, 2010
I am fond of cattails, and would defend them against fierce invaders, but they seem to be doing just fine all by themselves down on the beach. The mute swans are contented, too, probably because they’ve managed to chase all the trumpeter swans away. I am completely unwilling to get in the middle of a swan fight.
Fee
August 24, 2010
I know what you mean about the invasive species. I fed a squirrel which visited our garden, thinking I was helping an endangered species, until someone cleverer than I am pointed out it was a non-native grey squirrel, not endangered, but which is in fact thought to be endangering the native red squirrel!
No more sweetcorn for you, Cyril! Which only meant that he learnt to open and upend the birds’ peanut feeder. So, not endangered, but pretty smart. With very dextrous fingers/paws/whatever they’re called.
Gerry
August 24, 2010
I think it is the grey squirrel’s very cleverness that renders it not in the least endangered. But it’s a brat to bully the red squirrels. Your red squirrels are quite distinct, I think, with cunning little eartufts and exceptionally long pretty tails?
No matter what we do, the cavalcade of species rushes on, and we are in the flood.
P.j. grath
August 24, 2010
While waiting for the image(s?) to load, I’ll start writing my comment. My first point is that everything is beautiful in its own way, seen for itself and not as it bears consequences for something else. I read about a woman who was able to see x-rays of her cancer cells as beautiful, and I remember a series of watercolor paintings a man made of his toes as gangrene set in. I don’t pass these examples along to be macabre, only to say—what? There is a line in one of Jane Austen’s novels, NORTHANGER ABBEY, where, in reply to the young woman saying she has “learnt to love a hyacinth,” the young man tells her that (I may not have this exactly right) “it is well to have as many holds on happiness as possible.” So when it is so easy to see its ugliness and be blind to our world’s beauty, surely seeing beauty in loosestrife is no reason for shame. My other point: are we not an invasive species, too?
Ah, there is the image—simply lovely! And please do get out in that kayak–and then come back and tell us about it!
Gerry
August 24, 2010
I’m sorry the image took so long to load, but glad that it was the occasion for musings on Jane Austen. That elevates the level of discourse around here considerably. (Bad dog, Cowboy! Put that frying pan down!)
A great many holds on happiness litter the Writing Studio and Bait Shop, but I would not say that they are unmixed blessings. Ah well, I enjoy the diversity.
Karma
August 24, 2010
Hmmm, I don’t think I ever realized there were different types of swans. If you have a chance, could you take a look at this post of mine from last month and tell me which type of swans these are? Imagined conversation
Gerry
August 24, 2010
Yes. Yours, with their orange beaks, are mute swans. Although upon reviewing the post, I see that they are able to converse, and charmingly, too.
You can learn more than you ever thought possible about swans and their identification at The Trumpeter Swan Society website.
Molly
August 25, 2010
I hope I don’t get kicked off of Torch Lake Views for saying so, but I believe even the beloved cherry tree came from Away (as in Asia Minor). So I like your philosophy of trying to enjoy what’s here (or there, as the case may be).
Beautiful photo!
Gerry
August 25, 2010
That would be the day! I’m sure some cherry strains came from Asia Minor, and I’m pretty sure some others were carefully imported from Europe, and heaven knows where the rest came from, but they’ve all been so intensively cultivated and cross-bred and selectively bred and otherwise messed with that they are probably not even recognizable as themselves. The day they begin escaping the orchards and overrunning the beach, we may have something to worry about. Until then . . . nah. (I draw the line at Asian Carp, though. I am not in favor of the admission of any enormous fish that can jump out of the water and dope-slap me.)