Dandelion Landing

 

Dandelion Landing

It was a pleasant afternoon, sunny but not too hot. Just right for being out back on the patio reading a book. But then something took my attention away from what I was reading, a puffy seed flipping over my legs. I reached out for it but it slipped off my palm and hurried off. Then I noticed other seeds frolicking over the lawn, all determined to be on their way.

I scooped one up as it was flying over me and brought it inside where I could examine it more closely. How delicate it was and yet I knew it wasn’t fragile. It was a dandelion seed that would plant itself with the others and they would overtake the lawn if allowed to land.  

I heard of someone who was considering planting dandelion seeds instead of grass. No doubt it would be lovely to look out but not consistent with what is considered a proper lawn. Maybe it will start a fad and change our perspective about lawns. After all, there are many positives to dandelions, including vitamins.

Check this out:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324083#what-is-dandelion

 

    

 Butterfly on a Sunflower

Taking a walk in a local nature center om a hot day. It was pleasant walking along the dirt paths in the cool shade of the trees on another 90-degree day. Each step brought something else to observe. The birds were out in numbers, chirping and flitting from tree to tree. The leaves were starting to cover the walkway, adding crunch to our footsteps. The water from the creek was the lowest it has ever been; the hot summer and lack of rain was condensing its flow.  There were still some flowers blooming which added color to the scene.

Then we saw them – Monarch Butterflies flitting from flower to flower. They loved the sunflowers and we loved watching them. They like to winter in warmer places like Mexico and California but I wonder if that will change as our temperature rises. Maybe they’ll end up staying in my backyard. Meanwhile, they are appreciated whenever they appear and I wish them a safe trip to warmer climes.

https://monarchconservation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/MBF-Fun-Facts-Feb-21.FINAL_.pdf