Dandelions

Ah, summer. Finally, days of cold are over! ~ But you know, summer isn't always all it's cut out to be. The bugs come out, and once again the Evil Dandelion Army spreads its minions to conquer every available square inch of dirt. I hear my dad going off to War against them now, carrying weapons of weed-killing and pulling on his old and sweaty Canada cap with determination. And so begins another cycle. I wish you luck, sire! ~ Yet dandelions... why do we call them weeds? Impostors in our gardens, villains on our lawns, pesky disturbers of flower-y peace. Really, they're only doing what all of us are trying to do - get on with their lives and keep their generation going. They're just better at it than we are. Might we just be the tiniest bit jealous, impressed? Awed by their knack for perseverance, for survival? ~ Dandelions were originally brought over from Europe as a source of food, their leaves to be used in scrumptious salads. But without their natural predators, they began to run amok... And everything went downhill from there. Today, here in North America, they're the strongest weed, king of them all. ~ I step outside and pluck a dandelion, already in that state where a simple breeze will send parachuting seeds out into the sky. I take a breath and blow. The sight mesmerises me. They're so resilient. I wish I had the gift nature lent her little "weeds." ~ The last seed disappears from my sight. Good luck, young tadpole. I hope you make your corner of the world brighter with your burst of sunshine. ~