My daughter's obsessions change with the seasons. Sometimes even sooner. I wrote a few months back about her extensive acorn collection. For someone with such ephemeral favoritism, it's fitting that her newest fascination is with the short-lived dandelion. She's 3 and we can't make it around the block or get too far from the neighborhood without her hollering: DAD! DANDELIONS! DAD! STOP! And now that we can once again take her out to the park, I keep expecting her to run straight to the slides or swings, but more frequently we'll exit the car and the hunt is on. She'll creep along the sidewalk and scan the cracks and nearby grass for little white spheres interrupting the gray and green expanse.

She has trouble blowing the seeds and frequently draws a few tufts back into her mouth on a concerted inhale, but she's practicing. She'll more often just grab several stems and streak away, waving her arms spastically, transforming these small fluffy moons (once tiny yellow suns) into little light stars, floating away on the breeze. At the very moment when they are first released into the air, she is unusually silent, wide-eyed, and clearly full of glee. There is almost the illusion of her holding sparklers in her hands, a brief picture that makes an ordinary Saturday feel like the Fourth of July or New Year's eve.

A couple other kids joined in last week, galavanting and giggling and picking the grassy field clean. One parent was demonstrating how to blow and explaining what wishes were: "There you go! Wait, make a wish!" I wish for DANDELIONS! her daughter shouted. Me too! squealed another boy and my little one echoed the chorus. Me TOO! I wish for dandelions! They all ran off laughing again. One dad teased them playfully: "Haha, I don't think you guys get it...". We all laughed.

Driving back home I thought Yes they do.

Happy Thursday,
Daniel

OAKLAND YARD is OPEN for in-store shopping today and all weekend. With ephemeral delights that can turn an ordinary day into something glorious. Come pick one and carry it away with you. For any of you who want to make wishes from your own home (or workplace;), our O NLINE BOTTLE SHOP will remain up - as will our free curation service (use our ONLINE REQUEST FORM) through our website!