Added to this freak weather phenomena we have also been amazingly devoid of the hoards of Mosquitoes that usually abound this time of year. At least we were until yesterday when they suddenly showed up with a vengeance making up for lost time. (Sign of the Rapture? If so I really hope they get raptured. It seems a little excessive to be stuck here with both Zombies and Mosquitoes.)
This particular acorn had a little hole in it. A hole he informed me that was made by a bird. A bird who was in fact inside the acorn. He shook the acorn so I could hear the rattle to prove his statement. "See? It's a Woodcracker." (I believe a Woodcracker to be a close relative of the Woodpecker. The main difference between the two, of course, is that the Woodcracker doesn't peck trees, but instead cracks tiny holes in acorns and crawls inside or maybe lays eggs inside.) "We should plant it and make a tree."
My kids have been taking full advantage of the beautiful weather to play outside in the backyard as much as possible. A couple of days ago my son made a discovery. I am not sure what made this particular acorn so special considering we have about 10 oak trees around our house and each of them drop approximately 1 billion acorns.
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| Yes, those are Christmas/Batman mismatched pajamas. |
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| I don't like to do laundry. Are you really surprised? |
Of the 10 billion acorns scattered all around the yard he picked one very special acorn to excitedly show me.
I am not entirely sure the bird was overly enthusiastic about being buried alive but it was really his own fault for crawling/laying eggs inside that acorn. Really it was that or being eaten by a squirrel so we might have saved him from a worse fate. Unless of course that squirrel dug him back up and in fact did eat him after all . . .
Being lazy I pointed to the spot directly next to the house where the dog has been digging an escape tunnel to China. "Look buddy, Percy dug a hole for you to plant the egg acorn."
So, we planted the Woodcracker acorn in the hole dug by the dog and I kicked a little dirt over it.
A couple of days ago Peanut was out playing in the yard again and he came back in looking like this.
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| He walked through the house like this. |
When asked what tragedy had befallen him to render him so forlorn his response was . . .
"My tree isn't growing yet."
Drat!
He actually remembered. I shouldn't be surprised. That boy remembers EVERYTHING. Like "remember that time we were at the mall with Moogie and we passed by cotton candy?" Actual quote. EVERYTHING. "Remember when Pop Pop put up the curtains in my room?" Two years ago when he was two and has never been mentioned since. EVERYTHING.
Drat!
"Well honey, trees are really big so they take a long long time to start growing . . . *sad eyes* (picture Puss in Boots on Shrek) . . . "I hope the tree has red leaves. Cause that's my favorite color."
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| Sad eyes and evidence of the first Mosquito |
Drat!
Everyday since then he has walked outside and checked. Everyday he has walked back inside like this.
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| Except wearing different clothes. I'm not THAT bad! |
Now, I have a real problem on my hands.
Actually several problems . . .
First: I need to plant a tree. Right up against the house. With red leaves.
Second: I need to keep the tree alive. I have a black thumb and have never kept a plant alive. Except bamboo. For two whole years. It never looked very healthy though . . .
Third: Right up against the house! We already have enough trees tearing up the roof and sidewalks and pipes and foundation.
Forth: It might have to grow Woodcrackers. Still a little fuzzy on that.
Suggestions???
