Well, I am willing to bet the others will know this. I need to do some thinking about possible biblical plants.

Spent this morning at the vet. Annabel has been limping. It appears that she has a torn ACL. Ugh. Needs sedated x-rays and then probably surgery. No more plant catalogue perusing or buying for me! :(

Cynthia

So sorry to hear about Annabel Cyn, but if surgery is the way to go to fix the problem that's what we have to do for these treasured members of our families.

Nancy, talking about weather the last couple of days were really nice here, I was out pruning, digging and raking, had a list of things on the drawing board for today like the huge Hydrangea which has overgrown it's spot so thought I'd take a chance and cut it down to the ground, let it come again. Sigh, had to cancel the date I had with my pruning saw, put it on hold for a day or two it's snowing here. The powers that be say it's going to turn to rain so fingers crossed it's all washed away in a day or two.

I'm thinking the seed you're talking about produces something edible when mature, hot or cold?

Annette

I'm thinking it may be a grain.

Big wind and snow here yesterday and last night. I was slogging through a couple of drifts over my knees on my way to my little barn where I store my tractor. I'm getting too old for that stuff - shoulda parked it by the house yesterday. An hour or so later our 800 ft driveway was passable again as were two neighbors'. But enough about snow.

I think I read about this some time ago. I thought I had completely forgotten about the type of seed, but a plant name just popped into my head as I was writing about snow. The plant I'm thinking of was useful back in the day, and I believe hobbyists still use it in the same way, though most of us don't need it anymore.

TM

Hmmmm, rereading Nancy's post I think I may be on the wrong track. I'm now thinking it may be a flower (trying to remember the details but not having much luck). I think it was found in Russia, the flower was white but can't remember the name.

Annette

Annette, I was going to say that you were warm - have you wandered off to smell the lotus blossoms?

Well, shall I tell you that the seeds were found in the palace of a new Testament King? That wouldn't help you much, probably. Our intrepid 'seed-starters' were given 3 to try to sprout - only 3. Then only one actually sprouted. And the plant is either a male or a female, so there wont' be any more pips - Gladys Knight wouldn't be happy about that!! lol.

Sorry I was gone so long. When I get loose it's hard to get me home!!

Nancy.

OK, I'll stick with my first thought :).

Annette

OK - now I've got the groceries and tchochkes put away. Time to cut and colour my hair - yes, I diy it. I know exactly how I like it, and am very cheap. Not really a clue, but this race and my Scottish ancestors are supposed to share this quality. Not for me to say if it is true.

One can imagine the soldiers eating these, and spitting the pips out, waiting for the Romans to attack.

Nancy.

TM, was the name you were thinking of a name, or a nick-name? Hmmm....so old!!!

Nancy.

I am trying to dig up details of the seed parable, but nothing is appearing in my mind. So, since I have nothing, I will go with apple-definitely biblical-ha.

I think I know the answer but can not think of a clue as I am coming down with a cold and am a bit feverish.

Earlier today I spent some time outside shoveling the 3-4 foot drifts from Wednesday's storm. Also removed some snow from the pine tree branches. Needed to shovel a path to and around the tree as the snow was too deep to walk. Slipped once and was down on one knee. Had to use the shovel for support to get out of the soft snow.

Oh, not Genesis, but Tree of Life, for sure.

The Judean ____ is chronicled in the Bible, Quran and ancient literature for its diverse powers -- from an aphrodisiac to a contraceptive -- and as a cure for a wide range of diseases including cancer, malaria and toothache. Wow, imagine if they had two!!

Nancy.

It's pretty clear that I'm on the wrong wavelength. I was thinking of papyrus, so I either mis-remembered or my brain just made it up on the spot. It sounded so right to me, too.

So we're looking for something edible that grows on trees and has miraculous powers. Aphrodisiac and contraceptive! Wouldn't that be handy?

TM

Oh Bobbie - missed your post - ouch. That would have about done me in - I am so careful these days on the ice and the uneven snow. Had a blissful time getting my toes and nails done - I'm going to make this a regular date!! Too much fun.

And Cyn, I am so sorry about Annabelle. I used to dose Nici my tomcat with Glucosamine. I actually just started taking it myself again - I think it is helping with the joint pain.

Nancy.

How about sweet and sticky.

Annette

Oh, I know apple is wrong. I just can't come up with the answer. Thought of pomegranate, but don't think that fits all the clues. I surrender.

Cynthia

Sweet and sticky - good clue Annette. I wanted to buy some of the medajool variety, but they were too expensive for me!!

Nancy.

I didn't get hurt, just kept sinking deeper into the snow as under a thin crust it was dry and light.

Sticky and chewy, probably why I don't like these. Like a big raisin.

Down among the ?????????? ?????
Oh honey wait for me. Does this help?

Annette

Oh, Medajool. I know what that is.

TM

Aaaahhhh.

Nancy.

Dates

Ha. I actually thought of figs-close.

Cynthia

lol. Sorry I have been a while getting back to post. Crazy day.
We were looking for a young sapling named Methuselah!! He is being grown on a kibbutz in Israel since 2005, and is about 4' tall now.

For Christians, the palm is a symbol of peace associated with the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The ancient Hebrews called the date palm the "tree of life" because of the protein in its fruit and the shade given by its long leafy branches. The Arabs said there were as many uses for the date palm as there were days in the year.

Greek architects modeled their Ionic columns on the tree's tall, thin trunk and curling, bushy top. The Romans called it Phoenix dactylifera -- "the date-bearing phoenix" -- because it never died and appeared to be reborn in the desert where all other plant life perished. And now, it is alive again. The ancient seeds were found 30 years ago during archeological excavations on Mount Masada, the mountaintop fortress on the shore of the Dead Sea where King Herod built a spectacular palace. When the Romans conquered Palestine and laid waste to the Temple in Jerusalem, Masada was the last stand of a small band of Jewish rebels who held out against three Roman legions for several years before committing mass suicide in A.D. 73.
Elaine Solowey, originally from San Joaquin (Fresno County and educated at UCLA), teaches at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies at Kibbutz Ketura, where she has nurtured more than 100 rare or near-extinct species back to life as part of a 10-year project to study plants and herbs used as ancient cures. It is the oldest seed ever known to produce a viable young tree. Its age has been confirmed by carbon dating. Scientists hope that the unique seedling will eventually yield vital clues to the medicinal properties of the fruit of the Judean date tree, which was long thought to be extinct. Now, if they could just find out what sex it is, and get some more seeds!!

So, for Annette, Bobbie and TM - Cynthia, did you disqualify yourself?

****
That's the best I can do, as I can't get photobucket to open
links. Sigh. thanks for playing - see you all next week!!

Nancy.

So it was the date palm. I definitely had no clue until you mentioned medajool. I probably deserve only one star for that, but I'll yield to your spirit of generosity.

Thank you, Nancy.

TM

TM - How about one star and 2 dates?? - that would be rich!!

Nancy.

A few good clues in the postings led me to dates. We received a large package of dates for Christmas. Though DH and I both gave them another try neither of us would eat any more than two so out they went to the compost.

Thanks for the question and stars, Nancy.

That is so interesting, Nancy. Yes, I do not get any stars (sounds like yes, we have no bananas, doesn't it?).

Just amazing. Thanks for the fun. Now, off to think about how to work your wonderful information into a casual conversation yet again.

Cynthia