My mom, the nature lover

"I don't think there is a lot of birch pollen here. Might be linden or maple or whatever. Are you allergic to them?"

"Like I know what they are..."

"You must know maple. It has leaves like that."

"Wow, that looks sort of like the Canadian flag, doesn't it?"

"Look at the exotic bird! Wow, look at the tail! It's long and kind of bluish!"

"It's a magpie."

"So that's what they look like! Haven't I seen one before?"

"Yeah, last year in China."

"Look, look! That dog stretches, just like a human! I didn't know they could do that!"

For those who don't know: she has lived all her life in places that had both maples and magpies. And dogs, too.