Hollyhocks

When North Dakota neighbor Bruce asked,

 "how I like them hollyhocks". 

My first thought was "well, they are green and blooming". 

 West Texans appreciate things like that. 

So I started wondering why he asked. 

Was it because he likes them or not? 

Was it because the stalks fall over after a while? 

Was it because they make about a million seeds? 

Or was it because the yard ends up with little hollyhocks all over it.

After a some thought, I decided that I would cut them down

just before their seed pods burst and maybe rid my lawn of them.

Then Georgia stopped by!

  "Oh, you have hollyhocks!"

hollyhocks - rolled off her tongue like sugar, like honey, like chocolate -

h o l l y h o c k s

Then... she said:

 "Do you know how to make hollyhock dolls?

First you break off a bloom and a bud

and break the stem off the bud and peel the green off. 

Then you insert the bloom stem into one of those little holes. 

My grandma taught me how to make them.

You can float her in water.

But after a while,

her little head blooms."



Holly Hock

She reminds me of the old Disney Movie,

Fantasia

(where everything in nature dances).

So for now,

the hollyhocks stay,

But I am gathering the seeds.

"Consider how the wild flowers grow.

They do not labor or spin.

Yet I tell you,

not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these."
Luke 12:27