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Thursday, June 5, 2008

Arch Enemy

Mom decided to take advantage of my digging skills, and together we planted some seeds under the arch. Usually we just hang bird feeders from the arch, but now we think it's time to grow some vines there. We mixed morning glory seeds with moonflowers. The morning glories are supposed to bloom early in the day, then the moonflowers bloom in the evening. This should give the hummingbirds something to hum about all day long.

Then we found out that Dad absolutely, with a pea-purple passion, hates morning glories. Well, I don't know what a morning glory ever did to him personally, but he can't abide them at all. He said he spent too many hours as a boy on the farm, weeding those stinkin' morning glories from the crops. Turn around and they were right back in the field, choking out the peanuts and corn and making a mess of things. He said it's hard to kill a morning glory vine, and left alone it will take over a field in no time.

We found this out through a lively discussion with friends, and most of the people in the room felt the same way. Oh, was Mom ever squirming in her seat! She didn't want him to know that she'd planted a whole bunch of them buggers right in the middle of the circle drive.

But nothing happened. Day after day, we checked and found nothing growing under the archway. Whew! What a relief. Mom never had much of a green thumb anyway, so no surprise there. Until this week, then a tiny, spindly green vine sprouted up overnight and entwined itself up the side. We didn't even notice it until it bloomed.
It doesn't look like either a morning glory, or a moonflower, so it's a mystery. It's a relief to see that it doesn't look as dastardly as we thought it would. This morning, Dad stopped and looked at it. We held our breath until he remarked about how pretty it was and asked what kind of flower this is?

Mom's pleading ignorance. I'm not telling, either.
~Tell

11 comments:

Noah the Airedale said...

Crikey your poor mum, how nerve racking. Luckily they didn't grow. We won't tell your dad her little secret.

Hugs and tail wags
Noah Willow Tess Lucy

Girl Girl Hamster said...

Oh.. shhhhh we wont tell

~ Girl girl

Molly the Airedale said...

haha Mom says that's a clematis blooming but don't give up on those morning glory seeds! We bet they'll spout up any day now!
We planted some too and some of the seeds came back all by themselves!

Love ya lots,
Maggie and Mitch

Buster the Wired Fox Terror said...

Tell him it's a magic beanstalk!

Bussie Kissies
Buster

Jackson's J1 and J2 said...

Ooo, I'm not much of a gardener. I only help with the watering! J x

Eric said...

I won't tell Tell. Maybe time for you do a little digging eh?

Wags, Eric

Jake of Florida said...

We have mandeville vines growing on our arbor and we chant to them every morning to make them grow faster... perhaps we should have gone with morning glories!!

Jake and Just Harry

Princess Patches said...

Unfortunately, your dad's right, Tell. Many years ago, our mom planted Morning Glories in a bucket in our back yard. They don't grow in the bucket anymore, but they are EVERY where else! The only thing worse is the wild onions that Dad planted about 14 years ago. They are now all over our yard! Mom keeps killing them, but they keep coming back like magic.

Aire-hugs,
Poppy, Penny & Patches

Agatha and Archie said...

Ha Ha Ha tht was lucky!! But lips still sealed though!! Bet you were FABULOUS with the digging! Love A+A

Asta said...

Tell
I'm sowwy I haven't witten fow so long..we've had all sowts of pwoblems
I just wead about all youw escapess and stuff, sheesh..be caweful..you can get huwt even though you'we a tough little tewwiew..
happy digging!
smoochie kisses
ASTA

Dewey Dewster said...

Gee Tell wonder if yer little vine could be a clematis but we never knew one ta grow without bein' planted...thank goodness it isn't a morning glory though or yer Dad woulda been pullin' it out by the roots. Gram loves clematis 'n has several growin' around here 'n at the cottage....hope yers is as pretty as ours is...

Dewey Dewster here....