Mimosa Pudica!!

Excuse me!!?? What did I just say? :) :) :) No no...this is not a swear word nor am I in a nasty mood. Thats just me showing off my memory power. I didn't learn all those darn scientific names for all kinds of plants and animals in school for fun. Got to display my skills somewhere right? And why of all the varied flora that grow under the sun, I talk about a silly prickly touch-me-not? siggghhh....well thats our latest fascination.



Kutu just loves them now. Yes blame it on me. During one of our morning walks, I found a touch-me-not bush among the weeds infront of a house. Me being me, showed kutu how the leaves wilt off temporarily on touch. The curious cat that he is, he wanted to know why they do so. on being told that they go off to sleep because we are patting them on their heads he was quite excited. This was the story on Day 1. Day 2 and he would go "patting" and loudly say "hey orangu daa...hey orangu daaa..."(hey go to sleep da).

And then, Day 3 onwards the plant blooms into pretty pink flowers. Or thats when we noticed them. He wanted them flowers! Amma of course had to oblige and be the flower picker. But the only problem here is the plant has tiny thorns all over and it pricks! As if to say "hey are you dumb? Even after I say Touch-Me-Not, you not only dare to touch me but also pluck my pretty flowers??!! Well....you asked for it. Here you go..." ouch!!...:( When the flowers were deposited in his hands, he broke into a big wide smile and said "amma enikku poo perichu thannu alle...enikku santhosham..."(i know thats broken malayalam...but thats all even his mother knows...so cant really blame him. Can we?). By the way, "enikku santhosham"(crudely meaning to say i am happy) is his favourite phrase now. It is used freely anywhere and everywhere, in or out of context. Yes darling...anything to see that bright smile on your face early in the morning even if it means handling those silly thorns.