Wild Leeks

Wild leeks are growing in the woods. Their roots look like scallions, but their 2 or 3 leaves are broad, like lily-of-the-valley. Also called ramps, they definitely smell like onions. (Rapunzel's pregnant mother craved ramps, and when her father met an old woman in the forest, he agreed to give her the child if she would just tell him where to find these ramps aka rapunzel.)

When you find them, these wild leeks carpet the dead-leaf-brown forest floor with green. The colony i found yesterday was 50 yards long and 15 yards wide.

Wild leeks grow in calcium-rich soils, which, while not rare around here, are not common either. Blue cohosh grows among the wild leeks, as do trillium and dutchman's breeches. Nature's companion plants grow in the same habitat.

We plant ourselves among like-minded people in order to nurture our best traits. And we cross our fingers that the teenagers we know choose the "right" peer group. We know very well the consequences of hanging out with people of low moral character.

Do your companions nurture the best in you?