So, here in Minnesota, Buckthorn is considered an invasive species, to be destroyed every possible chance.
Now, my rented house backs up to the Vento bike trail, and the undergrowth that borders each side of that path is owned by...the city? But yes, its got buckthorn growing there, big and wild, unchecked. I know its buckthorn because I saw the blue-stained pee spots of rabbits in the snow in my backyard last winter.
So I researched the matter and it turns out that in the winter, hungry rabbits eat the buckthorn bark, which has interesting repercussions:
"..a result of rabbits consuming buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica), a highly invasive tree in North America. One of the chemical constituents is excreted in the urine, and within a short time turns blue when exposed to sunlight."
[source]
http://discovernature-teresa.blogspot.com/2013/02/strange-stains-in-snow.html has the best photo;
So....that's interesting right? Next winter, I will try to update this with actual photos of my own.
Ok, once more I come to the conclusion that I am a mean, mean wife. As I write this, I am gasping trying to catch my breath I have been laughing so hard.
I know my husband likes to read Harry Potter fanfic, so just a couple minutes ago when I learned online that there is actual fanfic of male pregnancy, I strode into the bedroom to tell Ron about it. Then I shake my head at him and say, you know, everyone thinks the grass is greener on the other side.
And I walk over and sit on the edge of the bed where he is lying and reading, saying 'but this particular grass is not that fun' (referring to pregnancy) as I reach over and I pull on one (or more) of his belly hairs as I say 'and labor pain is a lot worse than this!' and he yelps in pain (I am SO mean) and I laugh and he looks indignant, then he scowls at me; I whoop and run through the house and he chases me. He corners me in the office, he tries to pull certain of my hairs as I am laughing uncontrollably and dodging his hands....and his face is red and he is laughing too and we kiss and he goes back to bed, to read more Harry Potter fanfic.
And lucky me, no teenagers in existence to roll their eyes at our antics. That was fun.
Next month, married 21 years!
