MAE JULIAN
Oh, springtime! The long awaited, greatly longed-for time is here. Dandelions are the harbinger of spring for me. I see people out with their tools, ridding themselves of this beautiful youthful flower. I refuse to call it a weed.
As you know, I am inclined to view with suspicion, “uppity” people. You can see the uppities out cursing and digging out the dandelions from their lawns. Why? What is wrong with the beautiful dandelion? When I was a child we used to hold them up to our chins, to see if there was a yellow reflection. If so, well, as any educated person would know, it means you love butter.
The Waynedale Park used to be our, (the Waynedale kids), gathering place. Each spring, we could be seen with our buckets, traipsing through the woods, gathering dandelions. No one told us that we were picking weeds. When we would gather a sufficient supply, making sure there was sufficient water in the bottom of our buckets, we would take them home to our mothers. I’m not sure about the other mothers, but mine would make a big “to-do” over our bounty. She would fix them all up, by putting water in cake pans, and putting our treasures in the water to float. The pans would be glowing with springtime, all over our house!
Our pleasures were simple in Waynedale. We didn’t need a bunch of money, beautiful furniture, expensive cars and such. Nope! We were as happy as a person has the right to be, just gathering dandelions with our friends, on a breezy spring morning. Then, we would lay in the grass, in the warm spring weather, and study the sky. We just lay watching the changing clouds, listening to the drone of an airplane, hearing the buzz of bees, and watching the graceful paths of butterflies. I have never in my whole life dug up and discarded dandelions. It would feel like a sacrilege. No matter what happens in my life, or in spite of the opinions of others who tend their lawns like carpeting, I will never give up my love of dandelions.
Take a minute today to go and look over the land, and appreciate these beautiful flowers, as they welcome springtime and the beginning of a newness for us all. I hope that happiness is in your heart today as you read my thoughts. It is a time of renewal. A time of hope. A time of freshness that comes with the beautiful dandelions. The “kid” in you will be so grateful! Simple pleasures should never be forgotten.
Happy Spring!
Mae Julian
> Read More Information About Us
> More Articles Written By Our Staff
- Community Invited To Paint Rocks For Urban League Project - April 26, 2024
- The “Bad Guys” In Your Garden & What To Do About Them - April 26, 2024
- Why Voting In The Primary Election Matters - April 26, 2024