Photography And Half-Thoughts By Mitchell Hegman

...because some of it is pretty and some of it is not.

Monday, September 9, 2024

Did I Break a World Record?

While cutting firewood near my cabin, I came under a vicious attack by houndstongue. Specifically, the seed pod burs from this invasive plant fell upon me as I was sawing rounds from a downed fir tree. By the time I finished collecting the rounds and loading them into my truck, my long-sleeved shirt was covered with burs. However, it wasn’t until I got home and tried to remove my shoes that I discovered the shoelaces were smothered in burs. In fact, I think I might have shattered a world record for collecting burs with my left foot. I’m not sure if this is something registered with Guinness World Records, but the loops in the laces of my left shoe captured 45 burs in something like 20 minutes.

Untying my laces proved quite challenging. I clearly recall my objections and frustrations the day my mother took it upon herself to teach me how to tie my shoes. At the time, I didn’t have a good argument against tying shoes. Now, even if I’m not recognized for breaking a world record, I’ve certainly found a solid argument for wearing slip-on shoes.

Burs caught in my Shoelaces

Burs in my Palm

—Mitchell Hegman

No comments:

Post a Comment