B&W Sunday: The Big O Party

This Sunday I was thinking about making some opium poppy tea. πŸ˜‰

Fancy a cup, anyone?

 

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When I look at a delicate crimson poppy flower I tend to forget that its capsule contains seeds used to produce the most potent analgesic and the most addictive narcotic in the world.

poppiesHere are a few facts about the opium poppy:

  • It was first grown in the western Mediterranean (southern France and Italy) some 4000 years BC,Β 
  • It is cultivated in some parts of Europe, Latin America, Tasmania, in several countries of Southeast Asia and Latin America, but the only country authorised to produced gum opium is India.
  • The opium poppy was the cause of the 19th century opium wars between England (later France too) and China which resulted in ceding Hong Kong to the British.
  • The principal alkaloid and powerful active ingredient in opium is morphine which has proved to be the the most efficient pain killer ever known.
  • The most potent drug, heroin (from German “heroisch,” which means “heroic, strong”) is produced from morphine.
  • In the language of symbolism the poppy represents Morpheus, the Greek God of dreams.

If you have any black and white photos you wish me to check out and link to my Black & White Sunday, please leave me a link. You can also grab the widget:

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49 Comments on “B&W Sunday: The Big O Party

  1. Ces capsules sont superbes en noir et blanc !!!
    C’est difficile de dire quelle est ma fleur prΓ©fΓ©rΓ©e, car chaque fois que j’en vois une autre, je pense : “c’est celle-lΓ  ma prΓ©fΓ©rΓ©e !” πŸ˜‰

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  2. Well, if you’re going to drink opium poppy tea, it might be a good idea not to do any more posting for a day or two. πŸ™‚

    My last 3 posts are B&W. You are welcome to choose whichever you like for your Sunday link.

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    • Awwwwwwww, I will lay off poppies till Monday then :D. I am back tomorrow morning ( it is past 1 am here) to choose my favourite .. you know I love them all, right?

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    • The dry seeds that can be purchased at a supermarket has no alkaoids so it should be safe. I will pour over some oat milk and some honey to sleep better. In our folk medicine dry seeds were mixed with honey and put into a cloth and given to babies to suck to keep them calm during the night πŸ˜€

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  3. Please don’t drink opium tea, I heard someone died recently here, from doing just that!
    Loved your photo!!

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  4. Opium poppy tea? I must try and get some of that. πŸ˜‰
    Stunning shot and it’s great seeing it in Black and White Paula. You made it look so striking! πŸ˜€

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  5. Interesting
    I always love to notice strange flowers plants everywhere
    Even dangerous plants like jimson weed
    I talk to them
    See their texture

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  6. Wonderful post, Paula! The facts are very informative and interesting! The spread of using opium in China during the 19th C almost kill the country….

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  7. I like to party but not so keen to hallucinate πŸ™‚ Lovely music again, Paula.
    I just noticed your widget for this challenge. I like it!

    Forgot to mention earlier that there’s a bouquet on my 6WS that was intended for you (among others πŸ™‚ )

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  8. Pingback: B&W Sunday: Israel 1970β€²s & Johnny Cash | Cardinal Guzman

  9. Love your image, Paula. Poppies used to grow wild in the cornfields where my sister and I used to play as children. We used to collect the dried seed capsules to play shop with. πŸ™‚

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  10. Probably like most, I’ve shot poopies in full vivid colour (for Remembrance Day). I’ve never deliberately shot them in B/W. This shot is unique for me, especially being a grouping of closed pods. Excellently done, Paula.

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  11. Pingback: Spoky! | Travel with Intent

    • Oh, thank you. I will go now to see what you have. I hope you won’t forget about Thursday’s Special tomorrow either πŸ˜€

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