Cat Tail

When I was a child, riding along the country roads in our car, and would spot a clump of cat tails beside a pond - - I would ask "can I get out and get a cat tail?" Sometimes, if time allowed, I was allowed. I would take it to wherever we were headed (Grandma's usually) and when we arrived I would get out of the car, and place both hands on the cat tail. I would then twist it with each hand going different directions, and the cat tail would fluff up and out in billowy form. It was a treat to see this, simple country entertainment for a child. I love this plant that grows near ponds, lakes and streams. This photo was taken at Riverside Park in Wichita Ks.