What Is That?

Your young friend Hawthorne has many questions about a variety of subjects these days.

His early perspectives can be so fascinating to me.

This morning, for instance, I was out cutting flowers for the vase.

As I was discussing the finer points of life (like AC/DC versus Metallica),

I was asked in that squeaky little voice with Welsh overtones: "Papa, what is that soap on there?"

I could not figure out what soap he was referencing, until I looked on certain flower stems to see the work of the ever-present "spittlebug". Of course, Soap!

"Yes, son, it does look like soap."

Those kind of observations make my day.

(and yes, we do have a problem with spittlebugs)

Here is Mr. Observant, hamming it up for the lens.

The "soap" on the plants.

Bringing it in for investigation.

And here is the little green bug that makes the "soap" (and sucks the juices out of my flowers!)