Poking Fun
So what really happens on Facebook when someone gets poked? And how did we go from this ...
... to this?
Mara started it on our walk on Zephry Farm Wednesday to see the rune marker on Ray's grave that was described in our friend Katherine's story in Moonshine "Appalachian Funeral." We came across some pokeweed berries and she painted her hands. I knew the plant was poisonous but that it was used by Native Americans and in folk remedies for its medicinal properties. Later I learned that the Declaration of Independence was written in fermented pokeberry juice and that many letters written during the Civil War were also in poke.
My grandson Bryce's sister Kaylee (above) thinks Pokeberry should be called Purpleberry and Mara's daughter Kyla thinks the dye is hot pink, while I call it magenta. Pokeweed is my favorite nail polish color. Have you been pinked or poked lately?
Comments
I love it!! Had no idea of the pokeberry's prominent importance in U.S. history! Love the color.
Posted by: teahouseblossom | October 9, 2009 9:23 AM
Okay, so who is going to write a poem in pokeberries? I see an art installation brewing...
Thanks for the research, Colleen. I had no idea.
Posted by: Mara | October 9, 2009 10:07 AM
I can see it now: Poem in Pokeberry. They called it inkberry back in the day.
Posted by: colleen | October 9, 2009 1:48 PM
Will it ever come off? Great hearing about it.
NetChick sent me here.
Posted by: Jean-Luc Picard | October 9, 2009 3:05 PM
It comes off but you have to scrub hard. If you were to mix it with a fixative like urea or vinegar, it could be somewhat more permanent.
Posted by: colleen | October 9, 2009 3:13 PM
I remember hearing something about inkberry in a school project.. that would suck if you got that dye on your clothes..
Yup its a long weekend for us, its Thanksgiving weekend for us Canadians. While you guys have Columbus Day.
Posted by: Kimm | October 9, 2009 5:16 PM
It's not a favored dye for fabric as it fades quicker than others with sun or washing. The red sumac cones, big red seed heads that looks like rooster combs, plentiful this year, make a very nice rose. They also make pretty good "lemonade" but I digress.
Posted by: chris | October 9, 2009 5:47 PM
The Declaration? Really? Never knew that. I call it magenta too.
Posted by: kenju | October 9, 2009 6:57 PM
Wow, I have never even heard of pokeberry before. So very interesting. I think I will vote magenta on the color. I wonder what other things they made with it....
Posted by: Tracie | October 9, 2009 8:40 PM
looks like fun for everyone, but scrubbing it off would not have been much fun! i love the color, too! i have a couple of scarves with the color scattered through, them mixed with darker and more sedate colors...i love them.
Posted by: sky | October 10, 2009 12:20 PM
I'm jealous, I wish I could play. xo
Posted by: Sherry | October 10, 2009 1:01 PM
What a glorious colour! Does it stay once it is dried, or washed?
Posted by: Rachel Westfall | October 10, 2009 2:59 PM