cat's-ear

This shot of cat's-ear happened while we were on vacation with a group of friends. Turns out some people were surprised and a little disturbed that others would just pull into a strange driveway. hop out, and start taking pictures in the yard. But I got the shot. The plant presents a bit like dandelions, but fuzzy and without the teeth of the lion along the leaf edges. Cat's-ear is said to be edible. The fuzzy leaves can be used raw or more often cooked. The root can be a coffee sub. Myself, I hesitate to put that much fuzz in my mouth, so I haven't tried it. This Eurasian is now found in every state except AZ, IA, KS, MN, ND, NE, OK, SD, and WY, and is in BC, LB, NB, NF, NS, ON, QC, SK, and on SPM. Grand TRaverse Co MI, 9/21/11. Aster family, Asteraceae.