Part 2 ….. Ethnobotany, Etymology and Epicureans
August 11, 2025
While compiling last week’s post about the happy Cowpen Daisy party taking place outside our back door, it was no surprise to find way more interesting info about this sunflower than could ever fit on my journal page. Decisions …… decisions! To keep the August 5th illustrated page relatively uncluttered, I decided to include just the botanical basics (mostly), focusing on Cowpen Daisy flowers, leaves and seeds.
Then the past week I found my nature journal wide open to a blank page, ‘begging me’ for another Cowpen Daisy entry ….. “What about all those interesting info bits?” she asked. Replying* to my journal with a hearty, “OK,” I proceeded to locate and gather my rabbit-trailing notes. This scavenger hunt reminded me just how many pages there were; so many fascinating things about the Cowpen Daisy I wanted to remember and share. Decisions …… decisions! How to keep this next post to one page? By limiting the topics to only three, was it possible?
Barely! (after some clever editing, not a single word dropped off the page)
P.S. By the way, you may have noticed I’ve indicated this post is Part 2 of what’s now become my Cowpen Daisy series. Unless I start journaling on larger than 8” x 11” paper, there’s likely to be more Parts in store. And this multi-part series resulted in a minor edit to last week’s post, not titled “One of the Happiest Sunflowers Ever! The Cowpen Daisy; Part 1 ….. Can There Be Too Many Sunflowers?” In case you missed it, please check it out here.
*Yes, you read that right; I talk with my nature journals. Don’t you? After all, we do spend quite a bit of time together!
As always, thanks for stopping by!
a curious nature 
Fascinating, Barb, you would be great as a guest speaker at schools, ever thought of that? And how are you doing? We have had one of the hottest summers ever, still under a heat warning because of the humidity…which pushes us up into the 100’s F. It’s like walking out the door into a sauna! From what I remember of the southwest it is a wonderful dry heat…and my brother lives in San Francisco, they seldom get above 70F! Anyhow, hope all is well with you guys! Jane
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Hi and Hello Jane! What a wonderful suggestion about presenting as a guest speaker. I’ve actually done that in the past (before retiring). Maybe I can find time to pick up a stick of chalk once again!
I’ve been following your weather this year. Ugh. Heat and humidity can be more than unpleasant; it can be lethal. Hope you have AC. If not, at least a pool to lounge in! Setting climate records has become the norm, unfortunately. And now with this ignorant, selfish, authoritarian government running amok, setting records in climate change has escalated.
Aside from this and associated sad state of affairs, we are well. Thanks so much for checking in! Always great to hear from you. Are you back to creative endeavors? Webpage? Please stay in touch!
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HELLO BARB,
I ALWAYS TYPE IN CAPS BECAUSE IT IS EASIER FOR ME TO SEE.
AWHILE AGO, I ATTENDED A CLASS YOU DID ON KARENS PLATFORM, SKETCHBOOK REVIVAL, WHERE YOU DID A LESSON IN COLORED PENCIL DRAWING AN EYE.
THAT WAS A GREAT CLASS FOR ME
WE WERE ALLOTTED A FULL 30 DAYS TO PRACTICE WITH DRAWING THE EYE AND I WAS UNABLE TO PRACTICE MANY OF THOSE DAYS, SO, I WANTED TO ASK YOU IF YOU WILL EVER DO AN EYE CLASSS ON YOUR OWN ZOOM OR IS THERE A WAY I CAN PURCHASE THE VIDEO OF THAT CLASS SO I CAN DO MORE PRACTICE?
THANK YOU, MURIEL
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HI MURIEL. THANKS FOR YOUR MESSAGE, AND ESPECIALLY THANKS FOR ATTENDING MY CLASS. I’M SO GLAD YOU ENJOYED THE SESSION HOSTED BY KAREN. CURRENTLY I DO NOT HAVE PLANS TO OFFER A SIMILAR CLASS. THE VIDEO RECORDED BY KAREN DURING THE CLASS IN LATE JANUARY IS IN KAREN’S POSSESSION. I DO NOT EVEN HAVE A COPY. IF YOU CONTACTED KAREN, MAYBE SHE WOULD ALLOW YOU MORE TIME TO PRACTICE? BUT THAT WOULD BE UP TO HER I THINK.
GOOD LUCK AND HAVE A GREAT DAY!
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“Decisions …… decisions!” 😄 Life is full of them and you chose wisely. Three is a nice number and one I often choose. Your journals are epic! 👏🏻 Thank you for sharing your art, research, and beautiful surroundings. 🌻
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Thanks for reading/following my posts, Michele. I absolutely love your comments!
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Thank you for the lovely reply and for the beautiful natural inspiration, from a part of the country I’d love to explore.
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You’re so very welcome, Michele. Maybe someday you’ll find yourself exploring the Land of Enchantment that is New Mexico.
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Although it has been several years, I’ve enjoyed visiting Albuquerque. Delicious food!
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Fascinating continuation of a bright & cheery daisy! Curious how it thrives in wet years, but it grows mostly in dry states! And I love all the uses you listed for ALL of this flower’s parts — seeds, petals, stem, leaves, roots. Wow!
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Cowpen Daisy is a special plant, for sure! And a survivor. It definitely likes having water, but on well-drained soils. Where it’s growing near our garden area, I can’t help to give those plants water. This is where the daisy is thriving. But a few steps away, where the plants don’t have the benefit of water (other than from the occasional rain), they are barely eeking out a living. Thanks for your comments, Karen.
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