firepower

When I was but a lad, one of my favorite toys was G.I. Joe. My friends and I would spend hours with the figures (the older 12" versions, not the newer, smaller toys),  living Bondesque adventures for hours and hours. One thing was apparent to us (and to Hasbro) was that Joe needed "stuff". Gear of all sorts, from exotic vehicles like jetpacks to the mundane like mess kits. Then of course, weapons.

All of that equipment cost money though, and since I had little of it at that age I turned found items into adventure accessories whenever I could. I remember the day at my grandparents' house when I discovered that the flowers she called "four o'clocks" provided me with something that Joe could really make use of.

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This year I grew Mirabilis for the first time, probably for nostalgic value only -- I wanted to grow the flowers that my grandmother did. There were some differences between the plants I had in my garden and what  I remember from that Chicago garden of decades ago, enough so that I doubted that my "four o'clocks" were the same "four o'clocks" that she grew.

But then the seeds formed.

I remember my amazement when as a toy soldier-loving boy I discovered that there was a plant that grew hand grenades!

The seeds turn over when they're ripe, ready for easy harvest.

A little small for Joe's hands (even with the kung fu grip), but easily explained: these were ultra-grenades. Smaller than regular hand grenades but twice as powerful.

And I had dozens of them!

As you can tell by the look on his face, Joe was pleased with my discovery, as it meant almost unlimited ammo, and lots of firepower!

I know now that the cultivar of Mirabilis I grew this year was not the same one that my grandmother had -- mine was much too small, I didn't really like the colors, and it didn't really impress -- but this is definitely the plant that helped equip the imagination of my youth.

And that makes it worth having in the garden next year.

I just have to find the right variety.

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