Pricker Bushes

    You know them...those thorny obnoxious bushes that seem to flourish as soon as the weather warms.  Call them what you will, but to me they're pricker bushes.  It's all the same - they hurt.  Of course, brushing up against one isn't quite as bad as when Hon found himself sitting in a patch of stinging nettle, but I don't think he'll do that again - even if it wasn't on purpose to begin with.  I'd say it's about dead even in the pain category with touching the electric fence, although prickers keep me itching afterwards and a zap from the fence makes more of a numb feeling after the pain subsides.
    We have a lot of pricker bushes coming up.  Seems like the Scottish Thistle is really thriving this year.  The top picture is a close up of it.  If I let it get bigger it will have purple flowers on top.  Of course, no animal here wants to eat it and they avoid it like the plague, so I'll have to get out the shovel and dig it up...after putting on the thickets pair of leather gloves I can find.  Even when they're eencie weencie they hurt.
    Another in the pricker-type category we have around here are the locust trees.  They have such beautiful sweet smelling flowers this time of year.  We have two types, one I am absolutely positive is a Honey Locust.  That would be Gleditsia triacanthos for those of you reading this that like those scientific names.  It has mondo size thorns that can do some wicked damage.  You can see what I'm talking about down below.  Notice I said thorns, not prickers.  Those Honey Locusts are in a class all to themselves.  We have another kind of locust here, too, but I'm not sure what type it is.  It has much smaller pricker-type thorns that only grow on the branches and not all over the trunk.  When I look at the Honey Locust trees I think of the horror movie possibilities.
    Now we also have other prickers around here like raspberry and wild growing blackberry bushes, but I'll excuse those for their thorny nature because of the wonderful pies their fruit will make later in the season.  That doesn't excuse them from whapping me in the face or catching on my arm as I mow the lawn, but I try to be understanding...and if it continues I'll get out the clippers after we pick the fruit and give them a lecture on behavior as I cut them back.  Even prickers need a good talking to every once in a while!  Smiling & Waving, Sharon

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