bear grass

  The most common flowers (other than Lupin) that we found up at Olallie Lake were the huge blossoms that rose from boundless clumps of Bear Grass (xerophyllum tenax).  These plants present a really beautiful bloom and aren't really part of the grass family at all but are, as I understand it, more closely related to a lily.

  One day, as Naiya stripped the tall stalk of its petals and seeds, she asked if we could plant the seeds in our garden at home.
  "Sure," I told her.
  "Okay," she said, "then we can grow bears in our back yard."
  (Very matter-of-fact.)

  Wouldn't it be fun?...