"Dancing Petals''
I love sunflowers. It’s amazing to plant a little seed in the spring and have a huge, tree-like plant topped with a mammoth yellow flower by fall. Our friend Pete lives in New Hampshire. He grew up here and he and his wife spend their summers on the Sacandaga. Before he leaves New England each year he discretely plants sunflower seeds here and there throughout his town. When he is far away, the big plants emerge in unexpected places to greet all passers by.
When I was young my older brother had an Exacto set, a wonderful little wooden box filled with tools to cut wood. There was a handle to hold all types of razor-like knives. I never was allowed to use the sharp blades but was fascinated by them. I knew I could create great things with some wood and that set of tools. When our youngest son showed interest in working creatively with his hands I knew he should have an Exacto set of his own. I patiently waited for him to get old enough. When he turned fourteen I knew he was ready and told Gino, my husband, that’s what we should get him for his birthday. The reply was, “If you really want an Exacto set, get one for yourself, but not for our son. He’ll cut his finger off”. For goodness sake, people had been using those blades for years and our son would be just fine. Gino finally gave in, as long as I knew it was under protest. He didn’t want our baby to loose a digit. So I found a nice box of Exacto knives plus some soft balsa wood for carving. Just before handing over the money Gino again asked, “Are you sure?” When I said yes he repeated, “He’ll cut his finger off!” Undaunted, I bought the set, wrapped it and gave it to our maturing son. When he opened the wonderful gift he was pleased, and imagined carving something wonderful from the balsa wood. Unfortunately an hour later we were at the clinic getting stitches in the birthday boy’s thumb. He managed, even after careful instruction and his mother’s complete confidence, to drive a chisel point through his thumb. The blade was good and sharp and made a nice crescent shaped hole through his flesh. Gino didn’t say anything, but I could feel the “I told you so!” coming through loud and clear. I never made a gift decision completely on my own again.
So a few years later when this same son bought a very large and sharp machete I felt a little more than uneasy. If he could do that much damage with a little chisel, what would happen with something so much bigger? Had he forgotten the Exacto incident completely? I also didn’t quite get the need for such a weapon. It was especially puzzling when this was the same boy who had explained in great detail, to a neighbor hailing from New Jersey, why milkweed plants shouldn’t be harmed. The man apparently had no idea about monarch butterflies. I finally chalked up the giant knife purchase to being a “guy thing”. Now we finally come around to the sunflowers… We had planted a good-sized patch of the delightful plants, enjoyed them while they had bloomed, and watched the birds consume the seeds. It was late fall and they needed to be on the compost heap. Our son knew just how to take care of them. He sharpened the machete and with thoughts of making his way through the treacherous jungle, made little pieces of the giant stalks. They were easily thrown into the compost heap, and he didn’t cut off any of his limbs. The machete did turn out to be useful cutting greenbrier in "tent city" near the rafting company in West Virginia, but we haven’t grown sunflowers for a long time. Maybe we should again this year.
