A few weeks ago Ron Greene left this poem in a comment:
Oh, dandelion! Oh dandelion, yellow as gold, what do you do all day? “I wait here in the tall, green grass, ’til the children come to play.” Oh dandelion, yellow as gold, what do you do all night? “I wait and wait as cool dew falls, and my hair grows long and white.” And what do you do when your hair grows white and the children come to play? “They take me in their little hands and blow my hair away! “
I’ve never heard the poem before, but I’ve certainly blowed my fair share of dandelion seeds. I’ve also showed other sets of little hands how to blow them. It’s always sweet when the little one gets their mouth too close and end up with seeds on their lips instead of floating through the air.
I was reminded of Ron’s comment during my visit to Satterfield’s Briarpatch Greenhouse And Nursery.
Pat and Betty’s grandson Quincey who gave us the grand tour and helped me load up all the things I bought showed us a jar of dandelion seed blooms he had sitting just inside one of the greenhouses. He said he brought them in just in case anyone wanted to blow them and if we wanted one to blow to just help ourselves 🙂
Last night’s video: Common Folks 9.
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My grandbabies call seeded dandelions “wish flowers.” My momma used to say if you blew all the seeds off, at once, your wish would come true. Of course this is the same Momma who told us that our play-pretties got up and played while we were out of the room. I’m sure she took great delight in watching us walk out of a room, turn, and bolt back in, trying to catch our toys running, or fairies in mid-flight.
BTW did anyone else’s families call toys, play-pretties? That’s from the western Tennessee family.
Jane- thank you for sharing about your mother. I’ve heard my elders say play pretty too 🙂
I love that poem. I love dandelions, daisies, yellow roses. I would love to try one more time to raise a yellow rose. I have tired twice, once we have slate dirt on one side of house. the other it was a very dry and hot summer. I may put this one in a huge pot and put sand and wood dirt in it.
I’m getting to this post a little late but I enjoyed the poem. When I was little, my Nanna said dandelion flowers could tell if a child liked butter. She would rub the yellow flower under our chin and if it glowed yellow ( which it did) that meant we liked butter. Of course we all wanted to see if we liked butter, every time they were in bloom.
That is the sweetest poem I’ve heard in a while. in fact, this is the first time I’ve ever heard it
lovely.
Quincey is a natural born salesman. They need to have him ‘working’ every Saturday. I bet you took home 20% more plants than you would have without his ‘help.’ They have a jewel in Quincey. I hope that they can nourish his good nature and keep him from the temptations that he will surely encounter in life. Such a bright, outgoing young man. I loved the way he figured out that 5 times 16 is 80 by counting by fives. If he figured that out for himself, he has a monumental mental ability.
Blessings to all . . .
Just this past week I was showing a friend of my daughters little 2 yr old son how to blow dandelions! We went for a walk and he was getting bored of riding in the stroller and boy did I ever start something when I showed him you can blow the seeds lol. For the remainder of the walk I had to pick nearly every dandelion we passed! That’s ok though I didn’t mind…it’s one of the best feelings in the world watching a child’s face light up and seeing the little wheels in their mind start turning when they discover something new. Loved the video with Quincey…he’s the cutest little feller and smart as a whip!
My Memere (French Canadian grandmother) made dandelion wine. She also used the milky material in the drinking straw-like stem as a medicinal salve. I have since read that the dandelion, which is not native to this continent, was deliberately transported by the early Pilgrims and later pioneers. Dandelion seedheads are easily carried in a pocket. The plant provided a close at hand food source, well known folk medicines, poor man’coffee substitute, tea, and wine. The flowers were a vivid reminder of home. The “clocks” provided hours of entertainment to the young. I never told time or played love me/love me not games seeing how many breathss it took to blow away the last seed umbrella. but I do recall sending paratroopers floating down to my back yard battlefields. Only after America’s wealthiest robber barons began immitating the vast green lawns of French nobility did having one’s own little patch of green carpet become the new standard for marking one’s transition from rural poverty into the suburban themiddle class. Getting rid of dandelions as “blemishes” became a mission requiring weapons of mass extinction. The war on dandelions gave birth to the grandparents of Agent Orange. Off with their heads only worked for motivating the lawnkeepers of Versailles. The notion that dandelions are like pimples on the home place, the home-face we put on display for our neighbors to show we belong, is relatively recent.
Blowing dandelion seeds is not confined to youth! I blew at least a dozen into a brisk wind yesterday before anyone could mow them and I am 76. I wouldn’t do this in someone’s yard because I realize that not everyone shares my enthusiasm for dandelions, but these were located in an area where no one would feel the need to dig them up – or worse, spray them with poison. It’s the peak of bluebonnet season here in the Texas hill country and I am blest to see wildflowers everywhere. A week ago I stood in a country meadow and counted seven different varieties of wildflowers with names like wine cup, baby blue eyes, Indian paint brush, and gay feather – all within my reach without moving my feet – all planted by God and his servant, the wind.
I love the poem. I also have blown my fair share of dandelion seeds and taught and watched little ones blow them too. Just another one of the simple things in life that can bring enjoyment if we would just take the time to do it. That Quincey surely was thoughtful. His personality is going to take him far in life. Tipper, I hate to see Verna Mae’s book coming to an end. One tough lady for sure. The part about the teeth pulling, amazing. So grateful for modern dentistry.
Out of the mouths of babes (Quincy).!
Quincy so cute keeping a jar of dandelions just in case people wanted to blow some into the air.
I remember so many yrs ago that my two sisters I did the same thing & I still do at age 70+!
I saw and read Ron’s Dandelion poem when he put it in his comment on a past blog. I had never read a poem like that and thought it was cute. I’m glad you shared it for all to read. Good memories of blowing the puffy white dandelions.
I too think the world of the dandelion. Teas, wines, syrups- it’s all good for what ails you. I love the story of little man Quincey having a jar full of dandelion seed heads ready for the blowing! I love he said “help yourself!” We live in a time where people are desensitized and lack our direct connection to the earth’s natural healing resources. There’s a song called the Basics of Life and I’m convinced we need to run back to those as fast as the wind! I also liked the little poem about dandelions because it’s sweet. As for me, I will be barefoot as often as possible from here on til the fall… gotta soak up my electromagnetism or grounding. It’s all the rage among the nouveau riche. We hillbillies have been fancy for years and didn’t know it. Lol
Love your young host’s offer. My grandson calls them “blow flowers”. I think that’s a pretty good name. I’ll have to read him this poem. Thanks.
I also love dandelions! I wrote this poem a few years ago. They are such a symbol from my childhood bringing back a flood of sweet memories.
The days of the golden globe on the dandelion is now locked in memory and left is the gentle stem waiting for its turn to also disappear.
– janet carter
Sweet Quincy and a sweet memory.
Love the poem! I love things made with dandelion. Sadly, it’s hard to find clean ones anymore. They are such a superfood! I love tea and jelly. I hope to make syrup this year.
I remember blowing them away such fun!
I LOVE Quincy’s greenhouse treasure story! My grandson walks with me and we pick dandelion heads along the woods edge. We each need 4-5, the more the merrier, to make a delicious cup of tea with honey. It’s filled with vitamins and he was able to distinguish them from daisies by the time he was 3. They are a wonder of nature – for tea and health, they make great jelly and wine, they watch and follow the sun during the day, they dig deep into the earth to heal it by bringing nutrients to the top. They multiply quickly by picking them, the leaves are also nutritious sprinkled over salad, and they don’t need anything from us to grow prolifically. Most important is their ability to grant ‘wishes’ when blown by kids. What a wonderful plant!