Plants, some of them edibles

Photo Credit: Mary Johnson Plants on the Land Series
... the thimble berry, ripe and ready to pick ...

The Hope of Visiting Bora Bora

When I came to the kitchen this morning, 5-year-old Betty was chanting Bora, Bora.

I asked her if she knew that Bora Bora was one of the most beautiful places in the world, that Wyona has been there.

Wyona wants to go back and see the deep turquoise blue of the sea and take a ride on the shallow waters, and jump out of the boat for a swim.

I asked Betty if she knew that there are cottages built out over the water on boardwalks.

Seven-year-old Alice was listening and asked if she could go there.

I told her yes, just as soon as she finished university and gets a job that makes her enough money that she can save some of it in the bank.

Photo Credit: Mary Johnson Plants on the Land Series
... the light pink flower on the thimble berry bush ...

That is when she can go there, and she can even save enough money to take a friend with her.

Alice said, “I will take you, Grandmother.”

This was disappointing to Betty for she wanted to be the one to take the trip with her sister.

“Don’t worry. You can make enough money as well, and take a friend. All four of us will go.

Both of the girls wanted to know what university was.

I told them it was the place across from the Coffee Shop, through the traffic lights, past the church where we have great Primary parties and then it is all of those wonderful tall buildings.

Yes. They know where that is.

Photo Credit: Mary Johnson Plants on the Land Series
... more pearly everlasting

On a somewhat related vein, Betty has been wanting change her name to Foxy until two days ago when she substituted Courage for Foxy.

I told her that everyone deserves a name change, that from now on we will be calling Bonnie, Dr. Johnson, calling Miranda, Engineer, and calling Rebecca, Professor.

I can get just the right amount of deference and supplication for help into the word, Professor, for I have heard it in the voices of Rebecca’s students when they approach her with an out of class question.

Now, for the children, Professor raised her hands overhead to take a large stance and said with the laugh of a vampire, “Yes, I have great powers to give tests and I shall give one to the two of you.”

Lumbering back and forth on two legs and with a deep voice she gave out the first question.

Photo Credit: Mary Johnson Plants on the Land Series
... pearly everlasting...

What did Cannibal Boy do to Coyote when Coyote took him back to his people?

Both girls got the answer right and one point.

The answer?

Sucked the blood out of coyote’s neck.

Now for 4 points.

What are the four kinds of bones left on the road for defense against cannibal boy when he came to attack again.

Answer: Bear, porcupine, wolf and marmot.

Photo Credit: Mary Johnson Plants on the Land Series
... more baby blue eyes ...

(I couldn’t remember myself and just had to go outside to find and then ask Betty).

Alice only got 3 out of 4 right.

She missed wolf calling him dog.

Rebecca took her large rocking and stepping stance again, deepening her voice even more to say to Alice.

Photo Credit: Mary Johnson Plants on the Land Series
... St. John's Wort ...

“And now I shall listen to your reasoned argument as to why you should still get one point for your position, even though you got the answer wrong.”

In a tiny voice Alice said, “Dogs used to be wolves. We have just taken them into our homes, but they used to be wolves.”

“I accept your argument. You both now have five points and I must go away now to read a PHD defence for tomorrow,”

Off she went, leaving us with 5 points and the hope of visiting Bora Bora someday.

For anyone who wants to refresh their memory on the story of Cannibal Boy and Coyote click here to hear Professor read Cannibal boy and Coyote.

Arta

Photo Credit: Mary Johnson Plants on the Land Series
... the yellow flower of the mullein plant ...

Photo Credit: Mary Johnson Plants on the Land Series

Photo Credit: Mary Johnson Plants on the Land Series