Yay, summer is coming! This means gone are the days of complaining of rain and snow and dark and cloudy skies. Goodbye snowblower, winter coats, hats, and gloves. Adios shoes and socks! Welcome back flip flops. No more complaining of being cold or feeling sick. It’s May, and with these warmer days, I’m beginning to feel the sweat drip. And with that comes the reminder that we’ll soon be complaining about the heat, about weeds in the grass, and cracked and dry feet. The mosquitoes that like to feast on me as I sit on our patio at night, and spiders that hide in my laundry that when found drowned in my washer give me a fright. Yep, summer is coming and so are all of the complaints associated with its warmth.
Wait! Did somebody say weeds?
When I first saw this view today, I smiled. The lush forest green grass with hints of vibrant yellow speckled throughout made me giddy with excitement. The warmth of the morning sun’s rays heating my cheeks (and my pits) was another reminder that summer is so close I can smell it.
However, as I got closer to this view, I no longer found it beautiful but was reminded that these patches of yellow are nothing more than weeds. Their name, dandelions… and there is nothing dandy about them! In fact, I believe they are the spawn of the devil. The moment I see a hint of their existence on my lawn I cringe. I cannot rip off those yellow heads fast enough, otherwise, they will multiply as fast as a bunny in heat…which I believe is all the time. I don’t hunt, but when it comes to a dandelion, I become a vicious murderer. In my defense, it wouldn’t be so if they didn’t take over so quickly.
Feeling this way about a ‘flower’ my son used to enjoy picking to give to me feels slightly wrong. Memories of his chubby little fingers wrapped around a small bouquet as he professed his love to me make me smile. A ‘flower’ we were raised to believe that if we blew on them, scattering their seedlings everywhere while making a wish, those wishes would come true. Just the thought of any wishes being made in my yard, or any surrounding yards for that matter, makes me want to run for the Weed B Gone.
Yes, I loathe these beautiful specs of sunshine…almost as much as I loathe morning glory. But that’s another story.
Now that I’ve shared my strong distaste for these evil little plants, did you know that unless they’ve been doused with harmful chemicals, a dandelion is 100% edible?
That’s right, according to WebMd all parts of the dandelion are edible from the top of the yellow flower down to the roots. Dandelions are chock-full of vitamins and minerals including calcium, magnesium, iron, and Vitamins A, C, and K. Dandelion greens provide a range of health benefits. They can make a healthy addition to salads, sandwiches, omelets, and more. They can lower blood sugar levels making them a diabetic’s friend. There is a high potassium content of dandelion greens so they work as a diuretic. This increases urine output and treats water retention. Since they are diuretics, they can treat high blood pressure for some people. While the diuretic effect isn’t as powerful as a prescription medication, it can still be helpful when a mild diuretic is needed.
So now do I feel bad? Do I feel guilty about a weed that could potentially save my life if ever in a zombie apocalypse?
Nope! Do you know why? Because IF there ever is a zombie apocalypse, I don’t want to live my days terrified about what could be lurking around that corner or in that building, so I’ve already promised my friends and family that I plan to take one for the team. This girl doesn’t run, so those close to me know that I will lie down for the zombies to feast on as long as my homies promise to run like H. E. double toothpicks. They better make it worth it! Fingers crossed it doesn’t come to that.
And on that note, I’m off to get some weed killer before the seedlings from small children’s wishes
make it to my yard. But not before catching my son placing a “pretty flower mom” on grandma’s
place of rest. I’ll be darned! If it wasn’t a beautiful sight!
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