I grew up with dandelions. Each spring my father would get out the push mower and sharpen the blades. Then, by hand, he’d start digging up the dandelions. Attack weeds, cut, attack the dandy weeds. This was his thing all spring and summer.
There were dandelions in my grandmother’s yard. She allowed dandelions. She lived in the country. She’d pick the young leaves from underneath the yellow flowers and make dandelion salad throughout the spring and summer.
Easy recipe: dandelion greens, topped with a light dressing of white or apple cider vinegar (no balsamic then) and a pinch of salt and some sugar. The bitterness of the greens was complimented by her simple dressing. Bitter greens and homemade biscuits worked.
Time moved on. Dandelions are all but gone, thanks to the spreading of pesticides & weed killers. Suburban dwellers want and pay for well-manicured landscapes and solid green grass lawns. I get that.
It’s the end of April. We have a few healthy dandelions growing here and there along the fringes of our suburban community. I took pictures of these lovelies before the lawn service arrived for the first killer application. I’m emotionally attached to dandelions.
I am a Dandelion
I am a flower disguised as a weed
Upon your lawn I will stampede
I am a weed disguised as a flower
My leaves and roots have medicinal powers
I am 3 celestial bodies in one
I awaken each morning to greet the sun
I sleep in the evening and dream of the moon and stars
Which are 2 of my other avatars
Upon the wind my seeds are blown
Carried for miles around
But on this lawn I cannot hide
And I’ll soon succumb to pesticides
By Joseph May
http://www.poetrysoup.com/poems_poets/poems_by_poet.aspx?ID=29278
Google search offers many of today’s foodie versions of Dandelion Salad.
heartclosetblog 
Love this…especially since dandelions hold special childhood memories. Getting to make a wish when you blow the puff of seeds, scattering what others consider to be a pest. Weeds are in the eye of the beholder.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Staying in touch with what I am reading is at times a challenge. You’ve got the right idea. I’ll be sure to check out your reads.
LikeLike
We have lived in Oregon for over three years..The Dandelions appear to run free here or free-er than some. We have a couple of bee hives, so we are not fans of pesticides. I will have to experiment with them in salads…I like the poem.
LikeLike
Enjoy hearing about where you live and how you live. There are tons of recipes out there for the greens. My grandmothers cooking was plain and simple. I appreciate your comment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! We did some yardwork for an elderly lady today. I thought of you as I saw the dandelions…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I LOVE it! When Mom was little, her mother sent her out by the railroad tracks to pick the dandelion greens for salad. Oil, vinegar, and diesel fuel… Dinner is served! 🙂 Yikes!
Love and licks,
Cupcake
LikeLike
I get you Cupcake. Wonderful of your Mom to share that story by the railroad tracks. You’ll never forget those dandelions moments.
Thanks for connecting!
LikeLike
This made me just smile! A few years ago I was looking at a sea of yellow in my lawn and wondering if I should get rid of them. I noticed I also had over a dozen gold finches feasting on the dandelions. Decided I was given a gift of bird feed so I would keep them :).
LikeLike
Oh yes, you were given a gift and…..your chickens should love picking those delicate yellow petals and enjoying them.
Thank you Cgrandma.
LikeLike