Sketch a day- Day 91/365

I am sitting in my garden, looking at the dandelions which have sprung up everywhere in a matter of days.

So today's sketch is a dandy, that's grown out of the muck amassed between the edge of our half finished path and some rubble.

I discovered recently that these plucky flowers (aka weeds) are important early food for pollinators who emerge at the start of spring. So perhaps let a few grow on in your border instead of plucking it into obscurity?

I understand this might be hard to do.

My mum had a years long disagreement with our neighbours about this kind of thing. They hated our garden. They saw unkempt disaray, where mum saw wild joy. And in particular, come the spring, she loved to see the carpet of gold yellow dandelions sweep across the lawn and into the borders.

My dad didn't get involved and stuck to his roses and the growing of bitter lettuce that we all ate dutifully because he was very proud of it. But that is another story.

Anyway, I should say that my mum and the neighbours were friends. They had deep differences of opinion about everything. My brother's piano practice (too noisy). My drum playing (ditto). The presence of an oak tree in the garden (only appropriate in a woodland setting) and in particular the damn dandilions… But they liked each other. They looked out for each other. They drank coffee together. They did favours for each other.

I feel nostalgic for a time where deep disagreement and different opinions didn't automatically mean hatred.

The past is beginning to feel like a different planet.

But let's get back to the dandelions. The arrangement that my mum came to with the neighbours was that she would have her carpet of spring joy but would make sure that she collected the seed heads up, before they blew into their garden.

Which is all well and good in principle. But in practice?

On a windy day I would hear her suddenly bellowing ‘oh good god! The dandelions!’ and we had to run outside and try and swipe up the crowns of seeds before they blew across the fence. A task not made any easier if my mum got the giggles.

I expect the neighbours were really quite long suffering.

Anyway, for lots of reasons, I love a dandelion.

And that's the news.