Urban Nature Study

Crossing the city parking lot on Cleveland and Fourth, I came across this supersized puffball. It's a relative of the Dandelion and from past nature study I recalled the name, Goat's Beard.

A Dandelion puffball might be the size of a ping-pong ball, but this one is almost as big as the "Spaldeen," the pink rubber Spalding ball so vital to the old game of stickball..

How times change. I just found out online that instead of scouring the street for a suitable stick, you can now buy one on Amazon for $46.98, or two Spaldeens and a stick for $61.82!

I think I'll stick to nature study.