Simply Lou: Wildin’ Off

article by Lou Davenport

Let me first explain the title of this month’s column, “Wildin’ Off.” If you are a member of my family, you already know, but for those of you that want to learn a new “slang phrase,” I’m going to give ya’ll one of my Aunt Mayvonne’s favorite sayings. Now, she thought me, Judi and Loretta were wild girls. We were not even close! But IF we did get to go ride around to look at the men, she’d say we “better not be out there wildin’ off!” We still use it! Even the younger second generation kids know the saying. So, since I’m going to write about wildflowers and native plants, I thought “Wildin’ Off” sounded pretty fitting! To you Maisie!

When they would come to Bastrop, they got the lecture again, “You needn’t think(she loved that phrase.) You are going to Lou’s and go “wilding off.” Again, we were some wild ones allright! And be home by 10 p.m. All my children went to school in Vicksburg. When you became a freshman at Warren Central High School, in Science you made a “bug collection” (yuck) and a “wild flower” collection. I let Larry help Carolyn with those bugs because I just couldn’t “gas” a beautiful butterfly. I had problems with sticking pins in those bugs, too. Not my thing! But, I helped her with her wildflower collection and ended up getting addicted to them. I still am and I still know a lot of them! There’s native plants, too, and they are very addictive, too. I have several in my yard.

When Adam got to the 9th grade, they’d stopped doing the bug collection. Thank goodness! But, there was still the wildflower collection. The only thing they had changed was you no longer had to get the roots of the plant, too. That made for a much less messy looking speciman so I was so glad all we had to do is clip them and then press them.

Even though I know Carolyn and Adam were nearly as excited about wildflowers as me, but, they did do some work on their project. I found stuff that wasn’t on the list of flowers to collect. I was just “wild about wild flowers!”

There was a strip of very old woods between our subdivision and the one next to ours. That strip was nothing but virgin woods and they were going to clear it and build more subdivision. When Isaw what was growing out in those woods, I almost started a protest! But, instead, I just“rescued” several, which at the time was illegal for some plants. But I couldn’t let them just be plowed under! I dug up a Jack in the Pulpit and a Golden Dragon, I wish I could have rescued more but I was already being very “James Bond” like: dressed in black, black bag with the illegal plants. WOW! It was fun! I did plant them in my yard and they got bigger by the year. By the time I moved, my Jack in the Pulpit was about three foot tall and so was the Golden Dragon. I guess the statute of limitations has run out by now and I am out of state, so I don’t think they’d really want me. Too cheap to arrest me and try me! I don’t have the plants anymore either! Itte don’t think Mississippi would want me back anyway over two rescued plants. I did buy five Jack in the Pulpits last year online and now, they are growing happily in my back yard.

There are so many wildflowers everywhere! Some grow in specialized areas like bogs or dry prairies. The Bluebonnets of Texas are probably just winding down their yearly show and if you’ve never seen them in full bloom I highly recommend it. “Indian Blanket” is always growing along side it and it’s spectacular. I saw a real Turk’s Head Lily up on a mountain in South Carolina and got so excited. (It’s the little things you know)

Right now is just about prime time to go see the wildflowers. Most are right beside the highway! Up on 165 N. there’s some of the most beautiful vetch I’ve ever seen. It’s so purple it almost glows. There’s goldenrod, wild sunflowers and I even saw some “horsetail” plant in the muddy ditch near Brookshire’s. I’ve seen cardinal flower at Lake Clairborne, White, crimson and red clover and lyre leafed sage. One of my favorites in Venus Looking Glass and Blue eyed Grass. Such tiny little gems! I have wild violets, trumpet honeysuckle, swamp spider lillies. I love yellow goats beard and tansy! Oak leaf hydrangeas is considered a wild flower! Yellow jasamine, artemesia, periwinkle,and dusty miller are as well!

We cannot forget Hurricane Lillies who keep multiplying in my yard! Black eyed Susans will be here soon and there’s lots of it’s cousins already blooming. Can’t forget Spiderworts. You can dig some up on the roadside or if you are lucky like I was, a nice bird pooped plenty! Bees and hummingbirds love most wild flowers especially the red and pink ones.

Louisiana has some exquisite native plants as well as wild ones. The beautiful Louisiana Iris in purple and a reddish brown is one of the most famous. There’s a wild azalea that grows out in the woods and smells so good! The common “redbud” tree is considered a Louisiana native plant.

There’s so many more to mention but I don’t have the room. But I can tell you if you just start noticing the little flowers in your yard and maybe get yourself a “Petersen’s Field Guide” you will probably get hooked like I did. I love to learn new things, I think we should always be learning. It was 20 years ago when I got the “wild flower bug” and I’ve still got it. I’ve been trying to learn trees which is not that easy! There’s a lot of oaks around here! I have also been teaching myself how to make books, as in journals, and bound books, by watching Youtube videos. It’s really fun but I’m no pro yet. Keep learning! Never stop! I’m going to a folk painting workshop in Alabama in June. I cannot wait. Folk Painting isn’t as easy as you might think! There’s a lot more planning and thought!

I was supposed to go get to see my lifelong favorite band, “The Rolling Stones,” but Mick had to have surgery. But, it sounds like he’s doing well but, I’m going to see Chris Stapleton and Merle Haggard’s son at the Strass!! I make no promises that I won’t be standing up singing! No, I will be “Wilding Off!” That’s my Mother’s Day present! So, my summer is shaping up pretty good. My yard needs so much work, but, if it gets done, it gets done, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. I think your whole personality changes after 65, I don’t mind, I’ve never been as happy as I am right now! Live your Life Your Way!

I’d like to thank my friend Carolyn Files for inviting me to be their guest speaker for May at Morehouse Literary Forum. What a wonderful, warm reception they gave me and I had two added surprises, my friend, Mary Churchwell and my teacher in Senior English at BHS, Mary Jane White! It had been way too long and you know, she hasn’t changed! The rest of the ladies were just what Bastrop Ladies are….LADIES! And, I thank all of ya’ll again!

As my friend Dianne Cage says, “Now, ya’ll be sweet!” That goes from me, too! See ya next month with music reviews!