Money doesn’t grow on trees. It does, however, grow from flowering plants -- if you know where to look.

You would have to be an ass to refuse a taste of donkey rhubarb.

Donkey rhubarb is delicious, though not a relative of the garden variety many of us know better. More commonly called Japanese knotweed, this wild plant rivals regular rhubarb for the perfect pie and, best of all, it is a truly free food, found all over the Island. It is just now ready for harvesting, but will not last long in its tender, edible stage.

When we think of singing, we usually think of people or birds. In the spring we may think of pinkletinks, but we usually think of them as chorusing rather than singing. Very few people will think of grasshoppers, crickets and katydids as singers, but they are. And in this unusual spring, when oak trees are already beginning to leaf out, these insects may start their raspy singing soon.

Fowler’s Modern English Usage takes a hard line.

Just try to pluralize the word octopus; I dare you. Say “octopodes” and Fowlers calls you “pedantic;” using the term “octopi” is simply misconceived. Fowler’s asserts that there is only one acceptable option and that is “octopuses.”

Coltsfoot is a horse of a different color. This early spring flower resembles a dandelion, but don’t be fooled. Its resemblance is superficial. The round yellow blossom is at first glance a look-alike, but upon inspection you can see some obvious differences.