Th'ster Th'uzy Th'at on a Thistle

Sorry, but I like saying that.

Thistles really aren't my thing. They don't make for easy floral arrangements in any case.

But this year, I kind of took a shine to them, appreciating them in their own unique way - on the bush.

I think this is actually one of my favorite wildflower pictures. Go figure. The bush was almost as tall as me!

This is a much smaller thistle variety, smaller bush, smaller flowers. Very much as prickly though.

This is a Starthistle.

Generally considered a nuisance, they infest the mountain where we live and the mountain next to that, and so on and so forth. As a plant, even with flowers, they are pretty ugly. "I cannot tell a lie." Look at that flower though, closeup, in its own right, there is a striking beauty to it. Literally, look at those thorns. Yikes!

Interestingly enough, while the large thistle plants (top picture) have all died off, there are still a smattering of the smaller varieties tenaciously hanging on into the cooler weather.