I descend my stairs on a bright, sunny morning and step into the grass to get to my car, passing a large, white mushroom that appeared after heavy rains from the night before. "Hallo, Alice," I say. It is not the norm for me to speak to a mushroom, so do let me explain.
For, a month or so ago, Alice the Mushroom appeared in this same spot after a good evening rain. Alice wasn't named purposefully, you understand, but as whimsy would have it, I referred to "Alice" when pointing out the mushroom, to my brother and sister-in-law, thinking of Alice in Wonderland and how she took pieces of a large mushroom (one piece from either side, of course). Biting one piece made her grow larger, and biting the other piece made her grow smaller. My brother and sister-in-law thought I was calling the mushroom Alice, and it has stuck ever since.
So, now you know how Alice has brought elements of wonderland into my yard.
I wonder if I've been changed in the night. Let me think. Was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I'm not the same, the next question is 'Who in the world am I?' Ah, that's the great puzzle!
― Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Hi Alice!
ReplyDelete