Black Moshannon on a Saturday Morning

We didn't really plan to go anywhere on this day, but when we got up in the morning, my husband and I agreed it was time for a morning swim at Black Moshannon. This makes THREE swims in about a week. We started with Bald Eagle last Saturday afternoon, we visited Greenwood Furnace on Thursday, and on this morning, we topped out our trifecta with Black Mo.

It was breezy and cooler up there, and more comfortable than it is here down in the valley. It is my habit to wander around before my swim with my camera in my hands. And there is plenty to see. There are pink and white water lilies, dragonflies, and lots of interesting plants.

I took this photo looking toward the water, with the road and bridge and swimming area behind me. I had been watching some kayakers, when I spotted some tall plants with purple flowers on them, and I strolled over to get a better look.

The plant with purple flowers in the foreground is a variety of blue vervain, or verbena. It is beloved by the bees, and there were LOTS of them all over the plant. When I got home, I looked it up in the USDA plants database, and the plant has these medicinal properties:

"Ethnobotanical: Blue vervain is used internally to treat depression, fevers, coughs, cramps, jaundice, and headaches. Externally, it is used for acne, ulcers, and cuts. Warning: Blue vervain can interfere with blood pressure medication and hormone therapy. Large doses will induce vomiting and diarrhea."

And so it was that I learned a little something new, I met a new plant, and I got to hang out among the water lilies and the dragonflies for a few hours, just taking it easy on the first Saturday in August.

Here is a song for an easy Saturday morning: the Eagles, with Take It Easy.