I have to admit it, I am a bit obsessed with dandelions. There is something about the resilience of these blossoms, in all their forms, that captures my imagination. (If you are looking for a wonderful picture book that features dandelions, check out Matt de la Pena’s Carmela Full of Wishes.). I love the way dandelions get mowed over with the lawn mover one day, then the next day you’ll see them peeking their bright yellow heads out of the grass. I love how those full white puff balls call people of all ages to pull them out, hold them in front of their lips, and blow out wishes…and dandelion seeds. I love that they spring up in the cracks of sidewalks, along the edges of buildings, and sometimes right in the middle of the street!

Today I was wandering the aisles at Target, I love to make seasonal bags of stuff to send my grandsons, looking for interesting doodads when I came across a small bag that was a Lego Botanical–a dandelion! Of course I had to throw it in my basket…not for my grandsons…but for me!

Once home I set to work building my botanical. Weirdly enough when my kids were little I don’t remember building Legos with them, and when I was little it was my sister who was into Legos, not me. But I’ve loved the botanical Legos and working with my husband to build some bigger non-botanical kits that he was gifted. It feels a lot like putting puzzles together. I especially enjoy these small bags of Legos–and their much lower price. My dandelion was under $5.

Of course, nothing beats the real thing–and I have lots and lots of photos I’ve taken of dandelions over the years.

Every time I see a dandelion, hope and possibility flood my mind. I love to watch the way they play around with light, how they change depending on your perspective, I even enjoy their moon-like surface when all the seeds have blown away.

What is your current obsession?