UPDATE - On My "Thistle" - Thanks Diane ..

Thanks to my great friend  Diane in  The Charente ,,  for the info ....... My "Thistle"  is  an Artichoke ! According to Diane , it looks like it to her ,and after googling it certainly looks like it .. have a look a the link above. You can eat before the bud blooms and then it becomes bitter and  inedible .   

 Must tell my friend's mom ,, it is her plant.  ♥♥♥♥♥