Oh man…Momma is such a girl.   Flowers have started coming out of the ground all over the hillsides at my house.   They weren’t there a month ago, and now they are.  Like peek-a-boo!  If you ask me, I think it’s weird.  But not as weird as Momma’s reaction.   I mean, we are talking about flowers…not cars, bouncy balls, mud or paint.  She tricks me every time by asking if I want to go outside.   Outside?!  Um…are bananas amazing???  YES!  Wahoo, hello dirt!   Wait, why is THAT thing out??  No…wait.  Too late, she is already lifting me into the backpack and strapping me to her back.  “Sorry kiddo, the hills are too steep for you to walk.  You get to hang out on my back.  Let’s go see what new flowers are popping today Nate!” she exclaims all peppy.  I’ll show her peppy.   One time is fine.  Ten times is too much.  I won’t tell you how many times we do this…mostly because I can’t count very high.   As if trekking around the steep hills trapped on her back wasn’t enough, she begins telling me names of the flowers. I think she just makes them up as she goes.

Milkmaids, Buttercups, Shooting Stars (that can’t be good), Hounds Tongue (ewe- gross), Indian Warrior, Blue Eyed Grass (umm…grass does NOT have eyes!),  Iris…Okay, stop. Now I KNOW she is making this up.  Iris is Gram’s dog, NOT a flower.  Sheesh.  Does she think I’ll fall for that?  What am I a baby?  I know things! 

Yet her giggle and carefree skipping from flower to flower are infectious and I find myself pointing out any colors that I see.   She snaps away with her camera from any and all angles and I give in to the joy she leaks.   I’m still not buying the names, but I’ll go along with her game, as long as nobody is around to see this.   Hounds Tongue…yea right.  I suppose there are cattails and lamb’s ears too?!    Pshaw.  Ooo, Ooo, Ooo…what’s that flower?? Er…I mean…did you see that truck?!