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I was bouncing around my favorite social networking site (can you guess without clicking?) the other day, when I was struck by the photo above. Birdie has it captioned with a famous movie quote… “…put your lips together - and blow.”.
I immediately thought “Noooooo!” as of course that is how dandelion seeds are spread.
Who would knowingly want to spread dandelion seeds? Certainly not any fuddy duddy grown up who is responsible for the care of a lawn.
So that leaves babies, toddlers, kids of course. And damnit if kids aren’t irresistibly adorable when they blow dandelions. They get all excited and squeal with delight. You can’t very well stop them when they start puffing those little feathery seeds all over the back yard. And there’s no way you can yell at them.
I think it’s somehow related to they way babies are cute to charm us into taking care of them. Babies are a one way street of hard work, sleep deprivation and stress. Why do we jump through hoops for them? Why, they aren’t even aren’t able to show love back to us in the beginning. Kids own us.
It appears as though the dandelion has figured this out! As I commented to Birdie the other night, it’s an amazing evolutionary movement. Smarty pants dandelions know that we can’t stop kids from blowing seeds all over creation! How many other living things leverage the cuteness factor of our children to maximize their reproduction?
Seed dispersal by adorableness. Brilliant!
Sure dandelions would probably get by alright just waiting for a breeze come along, but then I wouldn’t have a blog post here.
Ah the wonder of nature. So, go ahead put your lips together - and blow. Just not in my backyard.
originally posted @ Annoyingly Boring?
June 24, 2008 |
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thisalicat, Poker June 24, 2008 12:12 pm
Hee hee…I monitor my 10 year old daughter and we go around torching the dandelion balls with matches…she thinks that’s a neat trade off from blowing to watching them crinkle and shrivel up.
Of course we’ve talked about appropriate uses of matches and when and where…
trysh, Crafting June 24, 2008 12:55 pm
I love it! Adorableness can get kids out of the biggest messes, can’t it? Bringing home that stray puppy….getting forgiveness for picking every single flower you had….the list is endless….lol!
I really enjoyed that!
mgrossfl, Real Estate June 24, 2008 3:34 pm
Exactly, “just not in my backyard.” But then with all the weeds that I have for a backyard lawn, it may help!?!
tom June 24, 2008 3:58 pm
Ain’t it the truth! A marvelous example of reproductive genius. I don’t even allow my kids to do that, curmudgeon that I am, and I still end up fighting the things constantly.
Quirkee James June 24, 2008 4:07 pm
WEEEEEDS!!!! But they are the fun ones to have. Great post, Pat!
Piper of Love June 24, 2008 5:33 pm
I like blowing dandelions. Remember in A Bug’s Life, when Fleck went flying away on one of the little seed things… that was awesome. I wish I could do that.
Birdie is the coolest.
tenakim, Moms June 24, 2008 9:44 pm
I must admit, it was a highlight of my childhood and now, paybacks!
Maureen, Painting/Drawing June 25, 2008 10:07 am
Ha! I can just hear my hubby saying the exact same thing.
You know, back in the 60’s my parents actually made dandelion wine. I have no idea how it tasted; I was far too young to try it. But if they ever took up the hobby again, my sea-of-yellow yard would provide cases of spirits to last a long time!
ourcrookedtree, Moms June 26, 2008 3:06 pm
My boys experienced their first dandelions this year (our yard needs help this season) and I wasn’t about to stop them!