Today is the feast day of St Andrew, patron saint of Scotland. Today’s subject is a symbol of Scotland, the thistle.
There are around 200 species of thistle. Thistles belong to the aster family (Asteraceae), meaning they are related to daisies and Sunflowers.
Thistles can grow to more than 8 feet (2.4 meters) tall.
The thistle has been the national flower of Scotland since the 13th century. The legend goes that Viking invaders were sneaking up on the Scottish army to attack them in the dead of night. The Vikings were barefoot, and one of them trod on a thistle. He cried out in pain and the Scottish army were thus alerted to the presence of the invaders.
The plant is also an emblem of Lorraine, a region in France, on the border with Luxembourg and Germany. They chose it because it was associated with The Virgin Mary because a thistle’s milky sap reminded them of her breast milk. The Dukes of Lorraine adopted the thistle as part of their coat of arms with the motto: Qui s'y frotte s'y pique, meaning "who touches it, pricks oneself".
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry, second only to the Most Noble Order of the Garter, which is bestowed to those who have made an outstanding contribution to the life of Scotland and the greater United Kingdom. Only the king can award it. The motto of the Order of the Thistle is Nemo me impune lacessit which means "no-one attacks me with impunity".
In ancient Greece and Medieval times the thistle was thought to be a cure for baldness and as time went on was thought to be a remedy for headaches, plague, cancer sores, vertigo, and jaundice. The Milk Thistle, also known as silymarin, has been used to treat liver or gallbladder problems.
Next time you’re at a Cheese and Wine party, you can regale the other guests with the connections of both of these with thistles. In the Beira region, thistle flowers are used as rennet in cheese making; and the Latin term for a thistle is Carduus, and Cardonnacum is Latin for a place with thistles. This is believed to be the origin of name of the Burgundy village of Chardonnay, famous for its wine.
The thistle is also the emblem of the Encyclopædia Britannica.
The stalks of some thistle species can be used to make strong, durable fibres, which are used in traditional crafts and textiles.
The flowers of some thistle species can be used to create natural dyes for fabrics.
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Beta
(Combat Team Series #2)
Steff was abducted by an evil alien race, the Orbs, at fourteen. Used as a weapon for years, he eventually escapes, but his problems are just beginning. How does a man support himself when his only work experience is a paper round and using an Orb bio-integrated gun?
Warlord is an alien soldier who knows little but war. When the centuries-old conflict which ravaged his planet ends, he seeks out another world where his skills are still relevant. There are always wars on Earth, it seems. However, none of Earth's powerful armies want him.
Natalie has always wanted to visit England and sees a chance to do so while using her martial arts skills, but there are sacrifices she must make in order to fulfil her dream.
Maggie resorted to crime to fund her sister's medical care. She uses her genetic variant abilities to gain access to the rooms of wealthy hotel guests. The Ballards look like rich pickings, but they are not what they seem. When Maggie targets them, little does she know that she is walking into a trap.
Hotel owner Hamilton Lonsdale puts together a combat team to pit against those of other multi-millionaires. He recruits Warlord, Natalie, Maggie and Steff along with a trained gorilla, a probability-altering alien, a stockbroker whose work of art proved to be much more than he'd bargained for, a marketing officer who can create psionic forcefields, a teleporting member of the landed gentry, and a socially awkward fixer. This is Combat Team Beta.
Steff never talks about his time with the Orbs, until he finds a woman who lived through it, too. Steff believes he has finally found happiness, but it is destined to be short-lived. He is left with an unusual legacy which he and Team Beta struggle to comprehend; including why something out there seems determined to destroy it.
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