Buttercups & Dandelions

April showers bring May flowers….and thus comes the season of the lawn mower.  As I stand at the edge, the lawn before me, it is the edge of reason vs. intent.

Just a lawn you say? Never! The recent rains, a gift from above, have left me knee deep in a new world. Lilliput? Whoville?

The bees are very busy. Ladybugs too. An inchworm dangles in mid-air. Spiders sit center stage, framed in the glistening morning dew. Dragon & damselflies dart about as if creating an aeronautical ballet. The monarch commands a pause. Who does not hold a breath when it passes? In the distance, the woodpecker drills on a dying tree. There is a symphony of birds in the treetops. A swish from above gives a glimpse of a squirrel. Eyes through the hedges belong to a feral cat. If the cat is grinning ear to ear this could be Alice’s wonderland!

All this makes me hesitate longer. How much will be disturbed in this perfect balance. How much am I not seeing?

I smile as I look to the ground. There in my path are two of my favorite flowers: the buttercup & dandelion. Their smiling heads sway in the breeze. In childhood we held the buttercup under our chin to see if someone loved us by its glowing yellow. Yes! Always!

The dandelion needed to grow old in order to spread its winged seeds. Make a wish & blow on the fluff. Carry my wish up to the heavens.

I stand at the edge still.

In England, I saw gardens with rows of dandelions as border flowers. They have respect & understanding for this noble flower. This is St. Brigid’s flower; a symbol of simplicity and healing which so honors her life. I was impressed.

I’m still at the edge.

The mission ahead of mowing is not a tall task. It just makes me daydream of a simple cabin in the woods with wildflowers surrounding simple footpaths. Tree boughs for cover against the sky.

I press on, pushing the mower, task at hand, remembering that the great gift of nature is adapting to change. With luck, I’ll get to repeat all this in a week!

Cathy