The Business of Dandelions

I pay 1 penny for each dandelion the little boys pick from the yard. Usually, in the spring, this keeps them occupied for a day or two.

This year, Sam (6) has taken it to the next level...He goes outside, he tells me, "to do dandelion business...Isaac, wanna come?"

Their domain is our yard and the two yards to the west of us. If I let them, they'd do the whole block. It's getting to be quite a profitable little enterprise. They talk about, as we ride in the car, "I wonder if those people would let us pick their dandelions?"

Although I did overheard Sam telling Isaac (4) "No, not the stems, just the flowers...that way they'll grow back." Maybe I should up the ante and pay only for roots.

Last weekend, Grandpa paid out over 3 dollars as a result of our visit.

At church they spent their money on hot chocolate and blueberry muffins and would have purchased me a Mother's Day rose but they ran out of cash.

I'm sure the dandelion stains will come out of their shirts which they use to carry their treasures, and I'm sure the dirt will come out from underneath their fingernails, but I hope this memory...the two of them working together...will stain their hearts forever.

Who says weeds are not beautiful.