SURPRISE!
Sassafras and I had just finished packing two backpacks—mainly full of yummy snacks—when we heard the magic doorbell ring.
“I think it’s Pip. He was supposed to come this morning, but all those trips back and forth with the peat moss and stream water must have really tired him out.”
Sassafras and I ran for the barn.
We opened the door to find a smiley Pip.
“What did I miss?” He asked as he hopped onto my head. Oh, Pip.
I swallowed and then broke the bad news. “We lost three more plants. But we learned that the plants grow the tallest with six teaspoons of water a day. And see …” I squished the wet soil with my finger again. “We’re almost positive they’re bog plants!”
“Oooooh!” Pip cooed.
“I know, the soggy soil is pretty cool, right?”
“No. I mean yes. But oooooh, look at those!”
I couldn’t tell what Pip was so excited about, so I plucked him down from my head. He pointed up to the top of the plants.
“Oh my goodness! How did we not see those? Sassafras! Look!”
I picked up Sassafras, Pip jumped back on my head, and we crowded around what looked like sparkling flower buds.
“I can’t wait to see the flowers. They must be amazing! Can you even imagine?”
“How do we get them to bloom?” asked Pip.
“Um, well … that’s a great question. Flowers usually bloom in the spring and summer when it’s warm and sunny. So these guys probably just need some sun!”
“Ohhh!” Pip gently touched a low-hanging flower bud with one webbed hand. “Do you think they will bloom right away if we take them outside now?”
“That’s a great idea! Maybe we can surprise my mom with the flowers! She’s at work today but she’ll be home later.”
One by one, I moved the seven plants out into the sunshine.
“I’m putting them here by this tree because see?” I pointed up. “There are lots of bees! And bees pollinate flowers.”
Pip gave me a puzzled look. “Pollinate?”
“Yeah, flowers need pollen added from other flowers to grow a fruit or a seed pod.”
Pip coughed a little. “Um, pollen?”
I spotted a dandelion and plucked it. “A bee lands on a flower to get some food.” I tapped the dandelion against the palm of my hand and showed Pip the yellow dust left behind. “When she lands, some of this pollen dust will get on her little feet. When she goes to another flower for more food, she’ll leave some of the pollen on that new flower and pick up some more.”
Pip poked at the pollen in my hand.
I scanned the yard and ran over to pick a dandelion that was white and puffy with seeds. “The pollen the bees leave makes it so the flower can turn into a seed or seeds like this!” I blew and all the little dandelion seeds rained down on Pip’s head as he giggled.
“Ooh! So maybe we just need bees! And then our flowers will make more rainbow seed pods,” exclaimed Pip.
“Yes! And then our plant won’t go extinct.” I cheered. We high-fived.
Pip and I lay in the grass and propped our heads on our elbows as we watched.
And waited.
And watched.
Nothing happened.
“Maybe we need some music? I can’t bring the radio all the way out, but I could turn it up.”
I ran back into the barn and turned the radio louder. I walked back outside to check. We could definitely hear it.
More watching.
More waiting.
More nothing.
Pip yawned. “Um, Zoey? This is getting a little boring. It’s such a pretty day. Could we take a break and go visit the merhorses? Pretty please?”
I didn’t want to miss the flowers blooming … but it didn’t look like it was going to happen anytime soon. I hadn’t seen the merhorses in a while. And Pip was here to translate for me (it was really hard to say much to the merhorses without Pip there since I couldn’t understand anything they said back to me).
Just then Dad came out into the yard. “What’re you doing with those empty pots, sweetie?”
I giggled. “A science experiment with plants. Hey, Dad? Can I go down to the stream for a little while? I’ll be back by dinnertime.”
Dad stared at the pots for one more moment, and then patted me on the head. “Sure!”
I stood up and gave him a quick hug. “Thanks, Dad!”
Pip hopped onto my head, Sassafras ran ahead, and we all set off for the stream.
