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The wildflowers along the Gorge View Bike Path are nearing peak. The only things missing are butterfly weed in the main path are, poppies and purple cone flowers but give it a couple weeks.
Calendula, daisies and Sweet William are thriving. Butterfly weed is beginning to peak near Great Lakes 360 which may open any day now. Viper bugloss and a bunch of fleabanes are thriving as well.
There was a spirited debate on social media last week between Jeff Flach, Wine on Third owner Shawn Weber and Lewiston Realtor Thomas Deal.
It began with Weber starting an informal Facebook poll about whether people like the butterfly meadows along the former Robert Moses Parkway or would prefer more mowed areas.
Flach considers himself a Conservative Republican but has been seduced into a hippie by the beauty of the meadow in his yard as well as the warblers that visit. He woke up and smelled the clover.
Deal and Weber both seem to favor the suburban monoculture of Lewiston McMansions and Canada’s parkway where native plants, birds and butterflies don’t matter, only toxic chemicals and nonnative species sculpted to white-priveleged beauty best viewed from a horse-drawn carriage whilst sipping a $100 Cab Franc..
I agree with Flach – leave the meadows as they are.
As an aside, I noticed Saturday Banana Leaf is opening on Third Street. The South Indian restaurant’s previous location is in Transitown Plaza in Clarence and we liked it. It will be in between Taste of Nepal and Zaika.