per·i·pa·tet·ic
ˌperēpəˈtedik/
adjective
  1. 1.
    traveling from place to place, especially working or based in various places for relatively short periods.
    "the peripatetic nature of military life"
    synonyms:nomadic, itinerant, traveling, wandering, roving, roaming, migrant,migratory, unsettled
    "I could never get used to her peripatetic lifestyle"
  2. 2.
    Aristotelian.
noun
  1. 1.
    a person who travels from place to place.
  2. 2.
    an Aristotelian philosopher.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Go Ahead, Bug Me--Thoughts Concerning Governors and Pitcher Plants


I guess I am not the only one from Illinois, in Little Egypt or upstate, feeling a bit unsettled these days. The media pounced on news of Governor Blagojevich's (sounds like Boy-I'm-rich) downfall like these pitcher plants clamp down on trapped insects. People outside the Land of Lincoln may be understandably shocked by the news of such audacious corruption in the Windy City, but Illinoisans have become all too familiar with this sort of gubernatorial gaff (trick, fraud, ordeal, abuse).


My walk with Hubby last Sunday on the Blackwater Heritage State Trail provided some wonderful shots of Sarracenia leucophylla thriving alongside the trail. Phillip Merritt, a new blogger and friend of Cosmo, posted recently about these fascinating plants as some of his favorite things. You can tell by their beauty, if nothing else, why they could be favorites. This time of year and early spring are the best times to be traveling by foot here. I am thankful for these plants, and I hope they continue to thrive, because stinging and biting insects abound in marshy areas like this one. Summer is the worst time to be walking the trail, though bicycling and roller-blading do not seem to be unreasonable alternatives. If you are fast enough, you can easily escape the blood-sucking critters.


Here you can see one of several bridges along the trail, which is well-maintained and offers benches along its length for taking breaks. There are even porta-potties available for other kinds of breaks.

Water keeps flowing here in the creeks, inviting reflection and admiration for a state that strives to take care of its natural resources. It may not be the best of times financially for Florida, but at least its governor does not resort to underhanded methods of improving his own financial situation. At least, I hope he doesn't.



...For the rest, the Old Bailey was famous as a kind of deadly inn-yard, from which pale travellers set out continually, in carts and coaches, on a violent passage into the other world: traversing some two miles and a half of public street and road, and shaming few good citizens, if any. So powerful is use, and so desirable to be good use in the beginning. It was famous, too, for the pillory, a wise old institution, that inflicted a punishment of which no one could foresee the extent; also, for the whipping-post, another dear old institution, very humanising and softening to behold in action; also, for extensive transactions in blood-money, another fragment of ancestral wisdom, systematically leading to the most frightful mercenary crimes that could be committed under Heaven. Altogether, the Old Bailey, at that date, was a choice illustration of the precept that "Whatever is, is right"; an aphorism that would be as final as it is lazy, did it not include the troublesome consequence, that nothing that ever was, was wrong.
--from Charles Dickens' novel, A Tale of Two Cities--

27 comments:

  1. I have to first say good thing for the port a johns!

    Secondly, Beckie of Dragonfly Corner posted about Boy I'm Rich's troubles yesterday. Again, I hear about big news on blogs before I hear it on news. At first I had no idea what a big deal it was, but the paper is rehashing it time and time again. I guess he was a pretty corrupt and maybe arrogant individual, especially since he knew the Feds were already investigating! What is up with that? It is an awful thing. Your description sure explains it.

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  2. My first thought was...A bathroom, now that is a great idea...Pretty place to walk too. Regarding the politics...how can anyone be so darned arrogant..it baffles me...

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  3. Somehow I feel apologetic when I say I'm from Illinois--what does this say about us that we've had two governors in a row charged with corruption?? On the other hand, it's about time Blago's arrogance caught up with him. Great analogy between politics and the pitcher plant! I just hope Blago doesn't take any innocent bystanders down with him.

    If you've wondered where I've been, I've been in Arizona for the past week with little time to read blogs. But I did catch up with your last few post...I am so sorry to hear about your dreams being deferred. This recession is certainly having an effect on so many. The first day I was here in Phoenix visiting my daughter, she learned that her company was laying off about 1/4 of the employees. Fortunately, she wasn't one of them, but she's getting her resume ready just in case. Let's hope we've hit the "worst of times," and the "best" will be here soon.

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  4. Hi, W2W--It's so strange to see pitcher plants in the wild--I'm just so used to seeing them as oddities in nurseries. But a great post--so nicely summed up by Dickens.

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  5. Tina, I think pitcher plants have more integrity than most politicians. And they are not at all arrogant, at least as far as I can tell. I missed Beckie's post. Thanks for the info.

    Michelle, Illinois politics have never baffled me. I have been familiar with the routine since I was in junior high. The corruption may shift from party to party, but it never disappears. Nothing ever changes in Chicago. Maybe it's the swamp gas there, preserving it. Thanks for commenting.

    Rose, I have missed you! Thank you for visiting. Sorry you had to get back home to such a mess. One consolation: Republican politicians as well as Democratic ones have been involved in similar messes. They get caught in the mob machine, and it chews them up and spits them out. Good thing Obama left as soon as he did. Let's hope he never goes back, at least not for extended visits. I hope your daughter's job is safe for as long as she wants it.

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  6. Cosmo, I'm still not sure if these pitcher plants are really wild. There was a sign identifying them, so I'm thinking they were "re-introduced" to the wild. I'm glad they were, though. A well-managed wilderness is better than none at all. And isn't that what we as gardeners are all about anyway?

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  7. Pretty shots of the outdoors and I like the connection you made between the Guv and pitcher plant. I've never seen a pitcher plant but had always found it fascinating. A well-managed wilderness...love the term!

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  8. Thanks, Kanak. The dominoes have just begun to tumble. It will be interesting to see which direction the trail of shenanigans takes and the pattern that develops. Still, it's disheartening to know that the people you trust to lead and govern can succumb so easily to the corruptive forces at work behind the scene of great power and wealth. I guess at least there is a lesson in it for all of us.

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  9. HI W2W: I am fascinated by that pitcher plant. I'm a little confused where you are right now: my thought is that you're in IL and posting about FL helps you cope with miserable IL weather right now?? I'm in VA, which is nothing like IL, but then again, it's not as warm as FL, either. I am 'following' you on your sidebar widget, so I can check back with you now and then. I have no idea what W2W stands for, but I'm wondering if writing is something you love, and you reward yourself by walking first (which is of course, a healthy form of exercise)? I'm kind of lazy these days and just wake up and head right for my computer. I need to walk first; I'll try to remember that:) Jan/ThanksFor2Day

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  10. The pitcher plant is very interesting. I've never seen one in the wild, just photos.

    We residents of Illinois must be a gullible lot. This is our 4th governor arrested for various corruption charges. Doctors are pointing out he is probably a sociopath but none of us saw it.
    Marnie

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  11. Jan, I had been living in Illinois, off and on, for the last year. My husband took a job there about 14 months ago. We own a home in FL, and boy am I glad we were not able to sell it or rent it. The volatility of the oil industry (something we were familiar with from the mid-1980s) has once again been revealed. I've never been able to put my foot down hard enough to make a difference when loved ones' dreams hang in the balance. So, now I just keep moving them, one after the other, trying to figure things out. The name walk2write was modeled after Aristotle's habit of walking while talking. I'm not much of a talker, but I've always enjoyed walking and now writing. Besides, Hubby's profession (geologist) has caused us to be somewhat itinerant. Thanks for asking, visiting, and following! I'll be stopping by your place sometime today.

    Marnie, I don't think we are necessarily gullible, maybe just resigned. Chicago politics has always dictated what goes on in Springfield. There is an icy grip there that takes hold of well-meaning public servants and doesn't let go very easily. It takes a lot of integrity and fortitude to resist it. Maybe Illinoisans should elect a gardener next time? Sorry I won't be there anymore to vote in a good guy or gal. What do I know, though? Last time I voted for governor of Illinois, it was for Ryan. And look what happened with that choice!

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  12. Very apt analogy but I certainly enjoyed tagging along on the beautiful trail. I've tried to raise pitcher plants in an artifical bog in my backyard once with no success. Had better luck raising mosquitoes though.

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  13. Hi, Troutbirder! You are welcome to tag along anytime. We don't have as many beautiful trails to explore here in NW FL like we did in S. Illinois, but we do enjoy the ones we know. Most of the time I walk in the neighborhood so I don't have to drive anywhere. You know, it's too bad pitcher plants wouldn't survive the cold winters up in Chicago because they could probably help out with some of the pests plaguing that city that once was a bog.

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  14. Seeing those kind of pitcher plants growing outside would be unusual for me, Walk2Write - don't know much about Florida. They remind me of Jack in the Pulpit. The pitcher plants I've seen for sale in Austin are sold in hanging baskets with gourd shaped pitchers hanging around the edges.

    Both Philo & I are from the greater Chicago area. From childhood we saw the downfall of one office holder after another (along with near misses like Gov.Stratton). So it's sad to see another scandal, but not a shock. I don't think we shock easily. More than 9 years ago we moved to Texas, trading IL Gov George Ryan for TX Gov George Bush.

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

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  15. You have a wonderful blog, with beautiful photos and writings. Thanks for stopping by to read mine! Is that a jack-in-the-pulpit? I used to find them in the early spring on a trail I walked near Kankakee, Illinois. They would hide under other plants near the swampy areas.

    I am very ashamed of Illinois politics right now, but not surprised. Here in Tennessee, they too know about the corruption that goes on up there. When I said that I was voting for Obama, they asked me "do you want a corrupt president?". I guess that if you are from Illinois it is the curse you live with. Obama probably should have settled in a different state.

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  16. Annie, I have lived in Illinois for most of my life. It's funny how that state draws us back to it. Did you know you get the same driver's license number even if you have been away for years? I guess I will soon find out if the same rule holds true for FL. You know, I wonder if the grain from S. Illinois (Little Egypt) shared with northern residents during the great famine of the late 1800s was tainted with mold, and that's what started the corruption. Or maybe it's that swamp gas periodically escaping and spreading an oppressive/toxic cloud over the city. The EPA should conduct an investigation, and I think Washington D.C. should be included in the study. Wasn't it built on drained swamp/marshland like Chicago was? I'm going to investigate. Like you said, I'm not shocked either. I hadn't even been back in Illinois very long, but I could see this one coming early on. Nothing about Illinois politics, upstate or elsewhere, surprises me. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

    C.M., thank you for visiting! I found your site through Troutbirder, and I am in awe. You write like I wish I could. I really mean it. Just the right touch of humor and plenty of irony. This anemic blogger loves it! That description of the various shades of brown in the landscape: priceless. As for the pitcher plants, I'm really not sure if they are related to jack-in-the-pulpit. They are carnivorous plants and quite handy for consuming lots of insects here in FL.

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  17. Hi W2W, I am so glad for you that you didn't sell your house in FL too, sometimes things work out for the best, in spite of our best efforts otherwise. Loved the Dickens quote about the Old Bailey, reminds me of Horace Wampole's tales by John Mortimer. I am a newaholic, watching several newcasts, Jim Lehrer is my fave, and reading the NYT and WP online. The media did have a field day with this one, and still is. They were running out of stuff after the election was over and will milk this one dry. He does sound like a pretty dirty character. We got into the neo... pitcher plants for a while, but could not keep them going in the summer, not enough water. I think they look best in a natural setting, thanks for showing them. When we visit friends along the South Carolina shore, we have to ride our bikes fast to not get bit up!
    Frances

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  18. Hello, Frances. Thanks for the tip about the Mortimer books. I am so far behind on reading contemporary books, it's not even funny. Guess I'll have more time to read now that I'm not going to grad school. Looking for a job, though. It's all right. I'm glad to be home and able to garden again. No more roamin' for this idiot. At least not too far and not for very long. Hubby and I have learned some valuable lessons together, so maybe idiot is no longer applicable either. Lehrer is a favorite of mine too, even if his eyes do look a little strange. He is definitely a no-nonsense kind of guy and doesn't put any kind of spin on the news. Lets you draw your own conclusions. I'm glad you liked the pics. Thanks for the visit!

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  19. I'm no longer shocked by anything that goes on in the world of politics. Fortunately (or not), age brings with it a large measure of apathy concerning such things.

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  20. Now don't go getting apathetic on us, TC. For some reason, I thought of you when I included the Dickens' selection. He too had a very disappointing childhood. According to Hemingway, someone like that who is a real piece of work does a real piece of work with writing.

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  21. How awesome is it that you got these pitcher plants around.

    Count me in the number who weren't that shocked that Blago was doing this. As a matter of fact I feel like "eh, what's the big deal?" The way some people are reacting across the net and in the media you'd think he got caught with a child or dead hooker. ;0)

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  22. Hi, MBT. I enjoyed your post about those algae critters. The pitcher plants got me to thinking about Little Shop of Horrors. You remember the play/movie? There were stern warnings about not feeding the plants. Maybe we should stop feeding the politicians.

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  23. Florida looks the place to be, you describe it just fine, as for poltics it's the same the world ove, Over here in UK we have some shady dealers.

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  24. Great photo of the pitcher plant. There was a fly buzzing around near my computer screen, and I swear I saw it fly in and get stuck. Your right about a walk out in nature being a good way to put these machinations in perspective. High ethics frame the sanctity of all our professions and who we are personally.

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  25. Hello, James. Thanks for stopping by. I enjoyed my brief visit at your site and plan on returning. As for the shady dealers, when will they ever learn that they can't hide out forever?

    Thanks for the compliment, Mr. S!The old digital camera got quite a workout that day and so did the delete button. Took me a long time to get those pictures I finally posted. Pitcher plants are quite alluring and very mysterious. Isn't it strange how fire actually helps them thrive? They come back better than ever, rising like a phoenix from the ashes.

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  26. thanks for the visit to my blog

    I have student that loves pitcher plants and would spend every day researching them, if I let him. I need to research if I can have one in the classroom.

    peace be with you.

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  27. Hello, Mr. S. Glad to have you visit and hope you return! It's great that you have a student who has already developed a passion for plants. I think it's exciting that your school is trying new methods of teaching like blogging and not insisting on the use of textbooks to the exclusion of anything else. I wish you the best of luck with your blog and class in the New Year!

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