Fixin' Leaks and Leeks

Turkeys are tired of your hands all over their bodies. The Turkey Association Against Fowl Play recently released a statement asserting that “turkey feathers are not to be used as a costume for fingers, and  thumbs are no place to stick a waddle.” Besides, it’s spring. The turkeys want you to handle some lilies, instead. Fortunately, there are websites out there for making handprint lilies, and the results are charming—whether you follow the instructions on these websites or just go at it with whatever you have in the house.

Of course, I just go at it with whatever I have in the house, so I found some pretty paper, traced my handprint on it, and cut it out with scissors.

Then, you’re supposed to make a cone out of the wrist/heel part of the hand and fold everything in more or less loosely. According to the website I (loosely) consulted, everything just holds together with a single strip of clear tape, but I like to use the stapler, just in case.

The instructions go on about curling the “petals” (your fingers of the handprint) around a pencil to create an “unfurling” effect, but the paper I used was so stiff, I just kind of wrapped them around my own fingers. I thought about leaving one or two petals uncurled, but when you do that, it looks like your flower is flipping someone off. I mean, you could do that if you want—especially if you are throwing a party for people you want to send a message to in a floral, yet fighting mad kind of way.

In any case, the finishing touch is a pipe-cleaner “stamen” that looks beautiful tucked in the middle (on the website I was using)—and not at all offensive in any manner. But I didn’t have any pipe cleaners in the house. What I did have was 1) absolutely no motivation to drive somewhere to get pipe cleaners and 2) some tissue paper, which I rolled into a skinny snake shape, but no matter what I did, that stamen I made looked really, really offensive. All it needed was an uncurled finger/petal pointing at it—and wow! I’d be banned from gardening clubs, for sure.

So, I just wrapped a pink string bow around the bottom of the cone-shaped part of the hand/lily and stuck it in a jar for a glam shot. And that’s how spring has sprung at the Fixin’ Leeks and Leaks headquarters.

In other words, I handled the situation as it unfolded.

Your Turn: How do you welcome spring (when it’s spring) where you live?