There's a mullein plant (link goes to Google image search results page) growing wild at the bottom of the hill, in the weed patch by the driveway. I took pictures of it today. I will upload them later. It has a long, tall stalk, with broad, flat leaves that curl down from gravity as they extend out; the upper portion of the stalk is crowned with a long cone from which yellow flowers grow. The internet says the mullein comprises several hundred species; it's a weed in some places; in others, a prized garden plant. It also had traditional medicinal uses in both Europe and Native America. Several sources say the Romans dipped it in suet or tallow and used it as a funeral torch.
Ours has grown so tall so fast, it's hard not to connect to it some feeling of passion or boldness. But, a sort of daring, vulnerable, breaking-the-rules kind of boldness, because it could easily be felled by a blow from a garden tool, and it's growing in a place where the nearby humans prefer something a little more low key. My mom in fact has designs on cutting it down because it sticks out so much. My dad and I are rooting for its survival. I've offered to do my mom a favor in return for not cutting it down. Negotiations are ongoing.
High temperature: 88 degrees.
Low temperature: 73 degrees.
High barometric pressure: 30.04
Low barometric pressure: 29.94
Solar wind: 413.2 km/sec.
Density: 2 protons per cubic centimeter.
*Earth weather data is from njweather.org. Solar weather data is from spaceweather.com.
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