I was walking to the mailbox yesterday afternoon and something caught my eye. It always pays to be observant and cognizant. That really paid off the other day when I spotted that yellowjacket nest in the wood chip pile! They would have torn me up. This particular thing I saw wasn't a dangerous thing, it was something that reminded me of my childhood. Check out this 'weed' growing on the side of the road by the mail box.
Have you ever seen that before. The leaves resemble that of the mimosa tree. This is an interesting little plant. It is called the Sensitive Plant. It is in the pea family and its Latin name is mimosa pudica. it makes a pretty little pink puff ball flower. Something neat happens if you reach down and touch it, like I'm doing below.
Upon touching, the leaves quickly close and stay closed for a few minutes. Then they open back up. It is thought to be a protective, defensive tactic to scare off animals that eat plants. Notice how all the leaves are closed.
As kids growing up in the country, we spent a lot of time touching all the leaves on this plant when we'd find it in the woods and watch as all the leaves closed up. A time-waster, for sure, but it was something the Good Lord put in our path to keep us out of trouble, I guess. I crouched by the side of the road like a kid and made all the leaves close. I'll never grow up, not me.
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