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Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Embracing the Dandelion

Over the last few months my schedule has been...hectic.  Crazy.  Frenetic.  Between a book releasing, another due, and a third in the middle of revisions, not to mention spring! and housework and kids running hither thither and yon, I sometimes feel I hardly have room to breathe.

And then there's the garden.

I have a love-hate relationship with my garden.  I love the look of all the green leaves and multi-coloured blossoms.  I love the smell of flowers and fresh cut grass.  What I don't like is the back breaking work of weeding...or the fact that there never seems to be enough TIME to keep up with it.  I keep saying I want to do more gardening - and I never do.  I like my garden like I like my hair - low maintenance (which is another blog entirely, I'm starting to look like the cook from Nanny McPhee).

Right now as I look out my window, I see lush green grass dotted with a dazzling array of dandelions.

I'm always a little in awe of those people who tackle their dandelions with those little tools that you stick in the ground and it pulls out the plant, root and all.  I've seen them methodically make their way over a near acre of grass.  By the time they have finished, they can go back to the start and begin again on the new crop.  In the city, weed and feed is an option, I suppose, but here we are on a well and we don't like doing that.  Frequent mowing works, for the short term anyway, to keep the heads of the little buggers away.  At least then we have the APPEARANCE of having no dandelions.

But it is all rather labour intensive.

So this year I am embracing the dandelion.  I mean, everyone *says* it is a weed but let's look at the facts a little more closely.

Dandelions have bright, sunny, yellow heads like little dots of sunshine.
Dandelions can grow anywhere, no matter what your soil. 
Dandelions do not require frequent watering, fertilizing, or deadheading.
In fact, dandelions are the perfect kind of flower - completely no maintenance!  I don't have to lift a finger!

Perhaps next month I can find a way to make the wild cucumber sound amazing?  Because it's taking over my hostas....

In the meantime, my e-release SOLD TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER is available anywhere e-books are sold.  I guarantee that you will not be thinking of your dandelions as you're reading.

3 comments:

Bev Pettersen said...

Dandelions are perfectly fine in my world too, Donna. I think they're pretty. And once I figure out my Kobo, I'll be nose deep in Sold To the Highest Bidder. Congratulations!

Michele L. said...

Hi Donna,

A big congrats on your new book! I love the cover! ;)

Funny you should mention dandelions because my husband found a recipe to make dandelion salad. My reaction is "Yuck!" I don't think I can be that brave or adventurous. How about you?

Granted they are pretty but sure cause me a lot of sneezing when they are left go to seed. We cut our lawn regularly.

I haven't heard of the wild cucumber. I have lots of hostas also. My problem is with creeping charlie. I am constantly pulling out this troublesome weed!

Donna Alward said...

Dandelion greens are good - in fact, sometimes you'll find them in the mixed greens in the supermarket!

And don't forget dandelion wine.

But for all my blathering - I'm going out to mow the grass and cut off their heads! Bwahahaha! LOL