Of Thistles and Queen Anne’s Lace
While farmers and livestock owners do not particularly like thistles, I have always thought they were some of the most loveliest of plants. The purple blooms against the dull green leaves provides a perfect contrast. They are considered noxious weeds to be dug out whenever possible along with multiflora roses planted many years ago as directed by the government to control erosion.
Then there is the delicate Queen Anne’s Lace. I’ve never seen it cropped by cattle and so it remains on the fence rows untouched along with the thistle. Finches like the thistle seed; thistle seed being a component of commercial bird seed mixes.
It was too early in the season to see finches working the thistles; maybe I will return later this summer or early fall and catch a glimpse of them.
Sylvia Weir Art 
Had one of my weird thoughts as I was reading what you said about thistles being “considered noxious weeds to be dug out whenever possible.” Made me think maybe the Scots took to them as National flower in a bit of solidarity since perhaps they too have felt so many times during their history to just be noxious weeds to be gotten rid of or at least controlled but other forces. 🙂