Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Helicopters In The Spring
Spring is here. Know how I can tell? The helicopters are flying.
My mother told us when we were little that the seeds from maple trees are helicopters. Then to demonstrate she tossed one into the air. It floated back to the ground spinning all the way. The tail on the seed looked for all the world like the blades of a helicopter.
So I have shown every child I know the helicopters in the spring. The drier they are the better they spin so it is still a little early for them to whirl like they should.
It is great fun to go into the yard on a nice warm day and toss them into the air. You can do one at a time or for a real experience take a handful and throw them up. You can watch a whole fleet of helicopters land in your yard.
My granddaughter took two hands full of the seeds to the second floor of the house. She tossed them out of the bedroom window. They caught a little updraft of air and rose blissfully up before lazily whirling gently to the ground. It was glorious.
Squirrels like these seeds to eat too. Imagine my amazement to open my front door to see a fat little squirrel having breakfast eating my helicopters. Even when I opened the door it just sat there munching away.
So now we know that spring is truly here.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Interesting and must be fun. I haven't really paid much attention at it coz I guess the only maple I've seen close to my area is in the park. I'll try to check next time.
ReplyDeleteJust pick up one of the seeds and toss it gently into the air. It is soothing to watch it spin back to the ground. It is even more fun to watch children ooh and aah as they do it.
DeleteWe did the maple helicopters when I was a child, too. We have maples out back and the grands used to throw them down from the back deck. They're too old, now, of course.
ReplyDeleteNever too old! I am three times their ages and I still do it.
DeleteThey resemble mini helicopters, and thank you for reminding me! As children we took the fresh green "fruits" (I do not know the name for it) and broke it in two - if you split the thicker part of the half propeller you could glue it on your nose with its own sap - and one looked like a mini-rhinoseros
ReplyDeleteSee there? You have taught me something new. I am going out right now to try it.
DeleteI used to chase those helicopters when I was a kid. This post was like a time warp:)
ReplyDeleteThat is what I try to do. I want my offspring to know what my life was like when I was young.
Delete