Haunted Humpday VI - It's Pick Your Poison Day!

Here we are at Haunted Humpday VI! Burt and Ivy are joining Marfi at Incipient Wings for some fun leading up to Halloween. The skeleton crew has been having an interesting time.

We had a happy surprise on Monday afternoon, a visit from a Monarch butterfly. When it landed on this plant I have to admit, I got a little worried. It's botanical name is Aconitum napellus (I added that because I originally intended this blog to be about gardening and sometimes I feel the need to throw in some horticultural lingo) but it's also known as Wolf's Bane and Monk's Hood. It's usually the very last of the perennials to bloom in my garden and I'm glad it was around to help out this late butterfly.

My main reason for planting it was because it flowers in late autumn when all the other plants are done for the season and I like to have something to look forward to besides raking up leaves. Having all those awesome names was another plus. This was all before I discovered that not only was knowing it's many names mandatory for Snape's Potions Class but that it's notoriously poisonous. 

Not that the skeletal inhabitants of the backyard have anything to be concerned about, but those of us who are still breathing are wondering why the garden center would sell them in the first place if they were really that toxic. After all, the bees and butterflies manage to survive drinking the nectar.

Apparently, it's only poisonous if you eat a lot of it, particularly the root. It's supposed to taste bitter and most of the documented poisonings have been intentional, not accidental. I can verify that it can produce an itchy rash. According to the Healthline web site it's associated with witchcraft and magic and was said to send witches soaring on their broomsticks. Or maybe they just thought they did!

Hold onto your hat because it looks like Ivy took quite a hefty sniff!

Meanwhile, Burt and Kibitz were indulging in one of their favorite treats. They wait all year for the Bag of Bones Cheetos to return to the grocery shelves. It's really doesn't count as a poison, it's just not very healthy and that's really not something those two are ever going to care about. 

Ivy survived her trip and made it back in time to sweep up after the Cheetos frenzy.

Burt just can't get enough of that white cheddar cheese flavoring!

Much later, it was time to light up the pumpkins for the evening and get into the spirit of  Halloween.

Burt's found something to light up also. Tonight's poison of choice is a bit more conventional than Ivy's. It usually doesn't make you itch all over and the flying part is only a hallucination.

Although, like all good poisons, it can make you a little silly!

A special thanks to Marfi for hosting and all the inspiration from her great gifts!

Thanks for dropping by, I hope you're having a very Happy Haunted Humpday!