The Fruit With Spines

I've mentioned before how Aaron is very fascinated with unique fruits or vegetables that we sometimes see in the produce section of grocery stores.  One of his favorite to talk about and to eat is fresh pineapple.  I guess I need to buy one again because tonight at supper he couldn't seem to remember the name of that fruit.  He asked, "Mom, what's the thing that has that stuff that grows up on top of it?" 

An artichoke, Aaron?  And don't laugh!  He's very intrigued by artichokes and we haven't looked at one in ages, so I figured that's the "thing" he was talking about.   I mean, surely he'd remember the name "pineapple!"

"No,"  Aaron replied, "not an artichoke.  You know, it has that long stuff growing on top.  And it has spines on it." 

Well, of course - you mean a pineapple. 

"Yes!"  Aaron answered, "a pineapple!"  Then he asked how a pineapple grows.  Well, none of us was totally positive about that.  I said tree........Gary said bush.............Andrew didn't know and didn't really care..........so I told Aaron to google it.  That's my standard answer for "we don't really know and why are even asking us this question anyway, Aaron?" 

But Aaron wasn't ready to give up this stimulating discussion yet.  He continued, "I bet it grows on the ground like corn!" 

Aaron, corn doesn't grow on the ground. 

"Well, I bet it grows like some of the other stuff in our garden that grows on the ground.........like carrots."

Uh, Aaron - carrots grow UNDER the ground. 

"Well, some of that other stuff that grows on the ground."

Cucumbers, maybe?

"Yeah!  Cucumbers!"

I guess I can't expect him to know how pineapples grow when he doesn't even know how the "stuff" that we raise in our back-yard vegetable garden grows! 

This summer, we begin Gardening 101.