Wednesday, April 25, 2007

The War of the Dent-de-Lion

Taraxacum officinale is plaguing my lawn...the one I have vowed to care for this year. (Last year we focused on the inside of the house.) Last night, I took out about four (4) pounds of dandelion and dirt out of the lawn. This morning, on my way to work, I counted at least twenty more. They think they can break me.

The dude thinks this endeavor will drive me insane. And so, to be funny, I say crazy things about the dandelions. "Dude, I hear the dandelions growing out there. Shhhh! Can't you hear it?" The scary thing is if they drive me completely insane, how will he tell? I'll tell you one thing for sure, the neighbors are going to be sick of driving by the house and seeing my fat ass in the air while I dig out the weeds.
This morning we--the dude, the two older women at the busstop, and I--were discussing dandelions. The topic of consuming dandelions came up. It started me thinking. Maybe I can derive my power from them. If I start eating the leaves (our lawn was fertilized with corn gluten meal, a natural preemergent, which is nontoxic), will I prevail? Should I be making wine from the flowers? Do I know how to make wine from dandelion flowers? You got that right.
Anyway, too much dirt under the nails for stitching.

6 comments:

Melissa said...

OMG! Anna! Thanks for the laugh this morning. I love the visual, ass in the air, neighbors asking each other if the view is ever going to change. Maybe they will come over and offer to help to get you back in the house.

Loved the links you sent me with the pirate sweaters. I have the one from Knit 101 or Knitscene. I want to make it for my friend's one year old for this coming winter.

Good luck in the battle of Anna vs Dandelions. Dude will know you've gone over the edge of crazy when you are not just hearing the dandelions grow but start having conversations with them and start hacking down rose bushes so the dandelions can thrive. LOL

Anonymous said...

Just FYI -- dandelions are not good eats once they flower. They aren't poisonous or anything, just really bitter and unpleasant. But before they flower, the greens can be used like spinach.

And, yes, I am a font of useless information.

Anonymous said...

What's wrong with having dandelions in your yard?

Chelle said...

I've been fighting the dandy war, too. Unfortunately we have a large empty field behind our yard. Want to guess what it is filled with? It's positively white with dandelion fluff. Now do you want to guess which way the wind blows? I'm doomed, just doomed.

mainely stitching said...

They are indigenous plants, as I keep telling my annoying neighbors who think they would actually like to see my fat ass in the air while I weed my front garden.

amy! said...

Better living through chemistry. Late last fall I learned there is lawn fertilizer that will kill clover and dandelions. It worked too. And just as I'm preparing to sell my house, I learn there is something else that will stop grass from growing in my stone-mulch areas. Who knew? All that time and energy I spent pulling up stuff and getting dirty fingernails. Sheesh.