Please, Please ...

Recently a dear friend asked me if I've ever eaten fiddleheads. 

Have I ever consumed miniature packets of potential, bundles of soon-to-unfurl beauty?

No way, no how.

Ferns are among the most tenacious of garden ladies. 

While other plants continue to snooze under winter blankets of cold leaves and chilly air, 

ferns stretch their lovely limbs and gather weakly-warm sunbeams. 

And like this intrepid example, they grow anywhere a spore may land—even on

 the face of a brick wall in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. 

My vacationing family kept walking while I lagged behind to admire, and be inspired by, this 

persistent plant—untended, unplanned, and possibly only appreciated by me.

And now, you. 

There's much to learn from this unlikely teacher, the humble fern. 

 So please, please—don't eat the fiddleheads. 

***

Other garden ladies I've observed here and here. 

Treasure Hunting

Most Saturdays my husband and I peruse other people's stuff looking for treasures. 

Both terms are loosely used here. 

Occasionally, something seems to say, "I'm yours..." and wins a place in our nest. 

More often, though, I sell the treasures on Etsy to finance my writing adventures. 

Either way, we have fun rehashing the week, sipping coffee, and laughing at people-antics.

A few weeks ago, a local estate sale yielded a bunch of sellable treasures, including 

a 1967 Super 8 camera. A ball-capped sale attendant told us his father bought

 and used the camera while stationed in Vietnam. 

"Dad used it to bring home all the sights he wanted to share with us." 

He removed his cap, swiped a hand through his hair, and replaced it. 

"Things sure went hard for us while he was away."

A single home movie frame turned up in the bottom of the bag. 

I'm not sure who's who, but it's easy to make up a good story. 

What do you think is going on here? 

Let's hear your best story-starting line.

If you provide the starters, I'll pick one and finish it.