David has a habit of picking dandelions for me. He finds them everywhere, on the walk home from the bus stop, in our yard, poking through cracks in sidewalks.
He’s done it for years, at least since he was three, right around the time I told him yellow was my favorite color.
I never keep the dandelions long, and I promise it’s not because I’m an unsentimental monster. I mean, I’ll admit, I can be a monster. But no one would ever accuse me of being unsentimental. In fact, sentimental might be the type of monster I am. I’m a sentimental monster who discards dandelion bouquets from her precious little boy.
It’s just that they don’t last in water (I’ve tried!) and they don’t press well (I’ve tried!) and because he’ll pick me another bouquet in a few hours.
I don’t save them, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t absolutely love every flower he gives me. Or that I don’t try to memorize the sweet face each time he hands me flowers before running back to whatever game he was playing. It doesn’t mean that I don’t stare at the flowers in my hand and marvel at what a kind, generous boy David is growing into. It doesn’t mean I don’t wrap him up in a hug and say, “I hope you never, ever stop bringing me flowers.”
David, age 4
David, age 3
I love when my kids pick me flowers, it’s the sweetest thing!
For a project this summer, have him collect them, then boil them to get a yellow dye for a t-shirt, dish towels, table napkins, etc. You need to set the dye, and white vinegar works well. There are many flowers and plants that make beautiful dye.
My father, who grew up on a beef farm in West Virginia during the depression, and who was number 4 of 10 children, would collect the leaves. He used bacon grease to make a wilted salad with them. And, I remember him making wine, once. I assume it didn’t go well because I only remember it being done once. I helped collect the dandelions.
Do you have a flower called Indian’s Paintbrush? We had them where I grew up, but Ive not seen them where I live now.
we don’t have indian’s paintbrush here either, but i remember seeing them on our honeymoon in montana 🙂
i’m so glad you reminded me of the many uses of dandelions! an awesome summer activity!
This is precious!! My sweet little girl is 2 1/2 and just now noticing flowers in our garden…I pick them with her but she is much more interested in the bugs roaming around in the dirt LOL!