[Magdalen] Plain Speech.--cat-tails

[Sibyl Smirl]

Cat-tails are very valuable plants, for quite a number of reasons.  I 
"have" some that I value as individuals, in a small "creek" (I think it 
was once one, by the lay of the land) that became a drainage ditch for 
the railroad embankment.  The railroad, which was a spur line for a town 
depot and the grain elevator, is gone now.  They took up the rails a few 
years ago: I would assume that the rails were sold as recycling for 
steel, though I don't know--our steel industry is so far gone, maybe 
they were shipped to China or something.  At least the Railroad found it 
worthwhile to take them up and move them out.  I don't think anybody 
will find it worthwhile to destroy the cat-tails for "beautification", 
though: we aren't that fancy.

On 5/30/15 12:26 PM, Cantor03--- via Magdalen wrote:
>
>
>
> Being a native Midwesterner (USA), I'm fond of plain speech:  calling  a
> spade a spade.
>
> I thus have a combination of irritation and amusement at my  development's
> habit of referring to what I would call the roadside ditch, a "swale"  which
> they apparently think is fancier than, "ditch".
>
> The authorities here are fixated on keeping "the swales" clear and  clean,
> and there was yet another general notice to this effect in the mail
> yesterday.
>
> Actually, my swales were widened and deepened several years ago
> along with all those on this street, and then lined with stone.  This  was
> not asked for or really needed, but it does look good.
>
> In the process of this swale-surgery, the several little stretches of
> "cat-tails" were also removed.  This is too bad, because I always  loved
> the cat-tails, even in the winter when all you saw was a golden brown
> patch of long leaves.
>
> You can't fight city hall.
>
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typha


-- 
Sibyl Smirl
I will take no bull from your house!  Psalms 50:9a
mailto:polycarpa3 at ckt.net