Here we are at the end of summer, and I realize that I have been negligent in my CDP duties. Mea maxima culpa! I have neglected to show you at least one stunning vista of kudzu.Now, all y'all in the southeastern US know exactly what I'm talking about, and I know some of you have posted your own local conglomerations of kudzu.
This is one of ours. And frighteningly, it's downtown. And even more frighteningly, this shot is only a small part of it, a sea of kudzu, the likes of which haven't been seen since the last Ray Harryhausen film.
I chose the black and white version, frankly, because it looks creepy, like carefully crafted topiary from a very deranged gardener.
And for your recommended daily dose of irony, I shot this from the Catholic church parking lot on Vine Avenue.
13 comments:
Vine Street???? Now that's too good to be true. I thought this was HWY, 31 on the way up the mountain to Vestavia right here in B'ham for a minute. Yours looks like the Loch Ness monster. Ours was some kind of weird ghoul that scared the pants off the kids.
If we could make a gas alternative out of kudzu, we'd all be on Easy Street.
I always think it's neat the way kudzu can cover some things and they do look scary! What is it they say, close your windows at night or the kudzu will get you?! Great photo and irony!
It looks like the Loch Ness monster of all kudzu.
I had no idea what a kudzu was... after I checked, it seems to have a beautiful foliage, but what a plague that must be!...
Boy howdy does this shot ever transport me back to Tennessee! There was a patch on I-40 East between Rockwood and Knoxville that had a similar horror film look to it. My wife and I always called it The Dinosaurs and would feign terror when we drove by. Cheers!
Domo arigato! What a surprise that was to read. LOL
I seldom hear or see or read such things as I have been gone from there since the summer of 1956. We went to Iwo Jima in APril and i was home in May.
I do like your post today. I saw Kudzu flowers on someone's blog this morning and thought it was your blog but guess not. You just got the wicked stuff that covers everything. Sometimes we see it or used to on our way to Florida and some things were totally covered and ruined.
You were in Japan? Or you are Japanese?
Thanks. I was just working on some 1954 pictures of the harbor at Shiogama, north of Sendai where I was located. It turned out pretty good after such a long time as a color slide. I may have to post it somewhere.
Its Nessie! I've not heard of this plant before, so was pleased with the link. Scary stuff!
I kept trying to figure out where you were downtown, until the end. Think you must have been looking down on me at work. I am at the main AT&T building.
Boise Diva, VJ, & marley - Y'all are so good! Nessie was the image I was conjuring here too.
Tanya - I believe that with all my heart, this vine grows amazingly fast.
VJ & Snapper - glad to see some other kudzu connoisseurs
JM & Marley - glad you found it interesting
Abe - not Japanese, but my dad was stationed there after WWII. He taught me how to say please, thank you, and hello. If pressed, I can also count to 4.
Leedra - I was on the embankment overlooking the McClung warehouses, but looking east toward the Old City.
I have read the shining. It's that moving topiary they don't have in the film. I've seen dolls, clowns and now this freaky foliage. Off to have a nightmare.
Oh, kudzu! When we lived in Atlanta, it was all over the place. It isn't so bad in Nashville.
BTW. . .Your photo looks creepy in B&W. . .LOL
Beastly!
So, kudzu is a bad plant I take it? Invasive perhaps? I've never heard of it.
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