Day 17: Favorite Plant

I refuse to accept it as a weed. I don't like my lawn completely green and nicely clipped, like a Marine's haircut. I like it wild, with long grass and sprouting little burst of joy every which way!

Yes, the dandelion my friends! Its name comes from medieval latin, Dents Lioness, which translates to "tooth of the lion."


True, not the most beautiful of flowers, and it is not coveted by flower enthusiasts or collected or sold for great amounts of money. I'll tell you what though, here is a list of things you can do with a dandelion:

- Make dandelion wine from the flower
- Eat the young leaves in a salad
- Make a crown or necklace
- Wish on the seeds
- Roots can make a non-caffeinated like coffee substitute. 

They are also high in calcium, potassium, vitamin A and C, and they are useful as a diuretic and for treating urinary tract infections. Take that, orchids!

And they are hardy little guys. Between the cracks of humanity's empires they have wedged themselves, and they are not moving. They don't need us.

Maybe I love them because when they go to seed they look remarkably like my hair on a windy day. Maybe I love them because you can string them together and feel like a fairy, or make wishes on them.

But I think the reason why I love them so much is because they are the underdog of the flower world, and in this world that prizes beauty so highly, they are laughing in our lawns. 

I think dandelions get the cosmic joke. :-)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

April 6th: Transparent

Transparent Put your brush down woman leave your transparency exposed pause your paints of uncertainty  just for this day welcome the sun through this open face to cast rainbows against the wall you look to fall in love with another like you, seeking to love yourself through another lens
Read more

April 13th: Song of Wet Stone

Song of Wet Stone When the rain comes to the shore, watch the rocks they transform revealing their shy colors rust reds and treasure map browns sea teals and leaf greens watch the rocks watch the girl stumbling slowly along the shore eyes seeking picking up, greeting loving each stone in turn slick stones, slipping into her pocket treasure her hands roll the new precious things round and around blessing the seeker And then! one large stone twisting blue of the sea dancing kelp green this is a mermaid's heart, it sings from the deepest deep mine! Thinks the girl, rolling it between cold pale hands and then she notices between her fingertips, sheltered from the rain the wet skin of this mermaid gem begins to dry the wild life evaporating away leaving grey blue grey green grey stone shock and bewilderment out come the rest from her pockets all warm and dry their magic gone Watch, as this child sullenly
Read more

Just A Small Town Girl...

I bet you knew which song I was implying there. The forlorn vocals and searching lyrics filling your mind for a moment, turning your head into a radio. Or not. Makes things easier in this post if you just go along with whatever I say. :) It's been a while. Pull up a chair. I'll catch you up: If you missed the reference, I'm the small town girl who has jumped in the huge pond of Seattle. Headfirst, it feels like. Off of the really high diving board. I love it! Most of the time. I'm surrounded by very talented people, who are very kind to me. I'm pretty damn lucky, actually.  But what followed me to the city is this sense of ineptitude. The talent pool is stunning around here! And so intricate, with the many social tide pools and gossip eddies. (had to continue that analogy). And people are BEAUTIFUL around here. Tall, and chiseled, and well-groomed (most of the time). Even the women. This is not hyperbole, there must be something in the water, I swear.
Read more