Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Dandelion Whine

After months of black and white in the landscape, I am thrilled that the grass is green, the trees are leafing out and the dandelions are in bloom.  Yes, that's right, I'm happy that the dandelions are in bloom.  As a child growing up in the country, we enjoyed the dandelions.  Our yard was huge, as yards tend to be in the country, so we never, ever thought about raking leaves, fertilizing the lawn or spraying weed killer on the dandelions.  They were simply part of spring and summer and they looked happy, with their bright yellow faces.  One recent Sunday afternoon, while my husband Larry and I were out for a drive, we passed by a country house with a big yard absolutely filled with dandelions in bloom.  Larry commented that the sight was spectacular.  The artist in him appreciated the vibrancy of the bright yellow against the bright green grass.  I rarely can make myself chop off a dandelion.  And if I feel moved to remove one, I do so without toxic chemicals.  I remove weeds with a spray bottle filled with white vinegar.  But, after seeing what looked like a painting awash in vivid yellow against a green field on that lovely Sunday afternoon drive, I'll hesitate to whine about the dandelions or make any attempt to remove them, for they are a beautiful sign that we have survived yet another Wisconsin winter and spring is finally here.

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