Youngest is employed as a full-time gardener this summer. It's convenient for her because it's on our street and it's convenient for me because I sometimes take photos of the garden, although I didn't take many last year and none so far this year.
I passed by today as she was digging up dandelions on the lawn. As in a bucket full. She told me one of our neighbours had passed by earlier, a particularly irritating gossipy one, who made a comment about "picking a salad" and if she didn't like that, she could "always make some homemade wine."
My daughter rolled her eyes but I said actually the woman was right. Dandelions are supposed to be good in salad, and tasty too. But I realized I'd never actually eaten one, so to test the theory, I reached in the bucket and took one of the leaves and popped it in my mouth. I knew Kathy, the owner of the garden, doesn't use pesticides or anything toxic on her lawn. As I chewed, I wondered if it was going to be bitter but it was actually quite sweet and tender. I understood why some people might want to use young dandelion greens in their salad. I reached in the bucket for another leaf.
"Uh, Mom," said Youngest. "I pulled these up from the curb. There are all kinds of dogs that pass by here."
Hadn't considered that.
