Pain-producing

Temperature around +22, mostly sunny, very strong wind.

Today we hadn't opportunity to go to the allotment. I did go for a ride with the moped, although it looked cold because of the strong wind. It wasn't very cold, just a bit cool. But gusts of wind almost took the head off...

I was riding around the neighbourhood, was a bit tired of being in the move so much lately. In Vanhankaupunginlahti bay I again met the man who goes there fishing with a fishing rod (blipped previously June 8th). Nice coincidence.

On the way home in the nearby forest I spotted two of these conspicuous cirsiums among woolly burdocks. It's a common thistle (Cirsium vulgare) and is wild in Finland and in Europe almost everywhere. It can grow almost two meters tall, is very spineous and spines are sharp and produce pain. However, it looks impressive and monumental. "Balls" are striking and decorative, at least to me. Of course as long as it doesn't attack me :)  I didn't even remember this plant's existence, but am sure I've seen it in the past, but not in ages.