Man vs. Vegetable

A battle rages daily in our house. On one side, it's a battle for supremacy, and on the other - a battle for survival.

Nearly one year ago, I received a beautiful red shamrock plant for my birthday, which I immediately and proudly displayed by the largest window in the house, where it would be sure to get plenty of direct sunlight.

Life was good for the little plant - until Kari Bou began walking, that is. Since the day she took her first tentative steps (sometime back in June), she has had but one goal: search for and destroy shamrock! This mission has taken on various forms, including dumping the plant on the floor; tearing off and eating its leaves; body slamming it on any available surface; and pounding it repeatedly with a book.

Unbelievably, this little shamrock has fought back in its own way, refusing to go quietly into the night. With each new abuse, its stems develop new dents and its leaves look a little more bedraggled. But for every stem torn away, a new one always manages to grow. Once, when I was sure the poor plant was done for because every one of its stems appeared to be broken beyond repair, all three stems miraculously resurrected themselves! By now there are supposed to be at least 20 stems with leaves, all growing straight up and out. But, though stunted and bent, our little plant bravely holds its own.

So the battle rages on . . . baby vs. shamrock. Who will be the ultimate victor? To be honest, I fear for the plant, as Kari Bou has recently been compared to an "armor-plated rhino", and I can't say I disagree with the assessment. But, if it has survived this long, maybe it will hang in there at least until my next birthday . . . .