A Brush With Mortality and How Much I Have Yet to Learn

 

 



My daughter was playing in the backyard by herself, something we let her do for some independence, alone time, creative play, and bonding with the earth. I was busy inside, but I hear my husband say, "Wait a minute - those are Mommy's plants. Let's ask her about it." I ran out immediately, thinking it was time for another lesson about gentle and that hurts the plant.

 

Nope. Different topic.

 

Bean had her hands full of flower petals, but what stopped me in my tracks was that she was chewing.

 

"Bean, what are you doing?"

 

"These are JUICY!!"

 

Witness panicked mother pick up her child and go running into the house to call the crisis hotline (a.k.a. her own mother).

 

So (after some online research), did you know:

• The plant pictured above is Muscari neglectum, also commonly called a grape hyacinth.
• It is a perennial spring bulb, often following the bloom of crocus. (Right now it's the only thing blooming in our yard.)
• Originally from Europe, North Africa, and Asia, Muscari has naturalized many places. In some places, it runs rampant and is considered invasive.
• The blossoms are used as flavoring in Europe and have a sour grapey taste.

And, it so happens, Bean confirms the taste description. And it was apparently interesting enough that she tried to go back again later. :)

 

Today's Nature Lesson

Part of Nature's being is a completeness of the cycle of life - meaning, the reality of death is something experienced constantly. I've talked before about how change is part of that process, but through any number of missteps, we can quickly meet our own demise through seemingly innocent actions. I think our young children can teach us a lot in how they can connect more easily to their intuitive knowing, but as parents we have to weigh against how curiosity can lead astray too (think touching the stove burners).

 

How much I have to learn about what is safe and what is not, though! I have some uneasy relief that Bean's ok (made it through the night with no mishaps despite some sites saying it's a diuretic), but it's reminder that I know less than I like about what is safe and what isn't in my own backyard.

 

 

Just for fun... This photo first aired here. Little did I know it would have a further story to tell later!

 

Do you have any tales of eating plants or how you put your trust/mistrust in nature in the wrong place?