Laughter & medicine

My mamma (finally) came home from the hospital yesterday! She developed a severe gall bladder infection, a week ago, and needed to have it removed. She was in the hospital for 4 days, recovering.

Kris and her girlies,Abbie and I, goofing off in the hallway mirror at the hospital, while visiting Mom.

(picture borrowed from here)

This is plantain. It is a common weed which grows rampant in damp, coastal areas, if there are no measures taken to control it. According to Wikipedia, "The herb is astringent, anti-toxic, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-histamine, as well as demulcent, expectorant, styptic and diuretic. Externally, a poultice of the leaves is useful for insect bites, poison ivy rashes, minor sores, and boils." 

When I was a kid, my mom would rub plantain ointment on our mosquito bites, to relieve the itch. But my favorite use of this annoying weed is as a weapon of mass irritation! I can't tell you how many fights we had, as kids, shooting the pods at each other as quickly as we could pluck and discharge! 

Kris and her girls, and Abbie and I were going in to the hospital to visit mom, one evening last week. As we were waiting in the grass for Kris to come, I decided to give the M's a lesson on plantain shooting. I was not prepared for Maia's response! Abbie caught a bit of it on my phone camera. See video below for hilarity!

Get better soon, Mamma! We're all glad you're home again!