I was lucky to be visiting friends in Pittsburgh this past weekend and we went to see the Andy Warhol Museum. We toured with a museum docent which was totally worth it. I recommend getting a guide (or headphones) at any museum, you can really learn so much more, and I find that gratifying.
The picture above is a photo I took of one of Warhol's works. It is the only piece of work he did where he got sued for using someone else's photograph. Warhol was an amazing artist in his own right, but as many may know, he is most widely known for his use of popular iconic images. Apparently these flowers were from a photo in a newspaper, and he used the image in a series all similar to the one depicted here. He settled out of court.
But mostly the subjects (products and celebrities) were happy to be subjects of Warhol's work since it was free advertising for them. Here are a couple more:
Great museum. In fact, Pittsburgh is fabulous to visit. It's beautiful, there are great museums, the baseball stadium looks terrific right on the water (right near the Warhol museum), the food is good. I recommend it.
I got back home and I'm at the point where I know fall clean up is here, and I'm not that thrilled. But wait! The monkshood is in bloom! Some of it is falling over, but it is blooming!
Above is looking down on some fallen over stalks, resting on top of some sedum 'Autumn Joy' with some adgeratum and ajuga peaking from under in the corner.
Below are some stalks still standing:
Monkshood's latin name is Aconitum, but I always just call it monkshood. it is poisonous! In fact, as lore has it, in medieval times when using bow and arrows to kill the enemy, the monkshood poison was put on the tips of arrows to ensure that the enemy would die. I think it's okay to have in a garden without worrying that a pet or roaming animal might eat it. Animals seem naturally averse to going near the stuff. I just make sure I'm wearing gloves when I cut it. Oh, and I make sure I don't chew on it...lol.
Happy gardening everyone!!
