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LuAnn
One Man’s Weed
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Dandelions and clover. I never could understand why so many adults were in
so much of a hurry to get rid of dandelions and clover. Why every kid knew
there was a four-leaf clover out there just waiting to be discovered! And
those purple flowers had just a touch of sweetness to them. You could tell
who liked butter by holding a dandelion under your chin…
I remember many hot, sticky days laying under one of the big maple trees in
our front yard just looking for four-leaf clovers. I think the most I ever
found in one patch was seven. I would carefully take my bounty into the
house and upon finding an old book, place them gently between the pages to
press them. I probably had dozens stashed in the bookshelves in my bedroom.
One never knew when one would need a little help from a lucky four-leaf
clover, did one?
I also remember the honeybees that frequented the clover patches. No matter
how many times someone told me to just stand still, I just couldn’t! When
the flowers were out, I would carefully avoid the patches that were
attracting the bees and would pick nice long stems that would lend
themselves to making necklaces and wreaths for our hair. Sometimes we would
get inventive and mix other flowers (weeds) in, such as Queen Ann’s Lace,
carrot weed, milkweed, or what ever else we could find. That is until some
one reminded us that we were making ourselves walking restaurants for the
bees. Somehow the lure of clover necklaces just faded after that.
Queen Anne’s Lace became parasols for our dolls during the summer. For our
smaller dolls, a dandelion was just the right accessory. Later in the
summer milkweed pods burst forth with their white downy seed and the pods
became little boats after rainstorms. We had a great time sending a summer
flurry of ‘snow’ by gently puffing on milkweed pods and the round globes of
dandelions, much to the dismay of our parents and neighbors!
I remember going out to my cousin’s farm one summer and bringing back five
little clumps of wild violets, which I planted in the back yard. I loved
the little blue flowers, so small and delicate. Little did I know that
within the next few years they would spread like wildfire and soon spread
out across the yard! I can’t look at violets today without thinking about
them.
When I was a several years older, my mother and I were driving down the
interstate and passed by some cattails growing wild along the road. Being
crafters, we thought why not bring some home? I jumped out of the car and
into the ditch, cutting one here and one there. About the time I had a
dozen or so, a little field mouse made himself known by running across my
shoe. I decided that a dozen was enough and that field mice belonged in the
ditch and I belonged in the car! Anyway, I placed the cattails in the back
of the car and Mom and I continued our trip. I was home several days when
Mom called. It seemed that we had forgotten about the cattails in the back
of the car. Now Illinois has some very hot summers… those cattails
exploded, sending seed all through her car! Never carry cattails in your
car in the summer…
No, I just can’t understand why adults are so wont to eliminate weeds. Some
of my best memories are tied up in those flowers.
© 2001 LuAnn Gould
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