Pineapple Princess, I Love You

Today's Wonder of the World is...the Pineapple!

Flickr photo by passgo
Welcome to the blog, all you pineapple princesses and princes out there!
You do know that the pineapple is a symbol of welcome, right? (The ridiculously large font wouldn't make sense otherwise.)
People down south are pineapple crazy. Maybe it's our southern hospitality or our proximity to the equator. Or maybe we just want an excuse to try the pineapple door decoration we saw in the December issue of Southern Living.

Photo from Our Family Christmas Diary, by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
I keep meaning to make one of those but it never works out. Somebody always cuts into the pineapple or eats up my apples. Or puts my magnolia leaves in the compost pile.

I'm blogging about the joys of pineapples today because lately I've had a terrible hankering for a pineapple upside down cake.

Flickr photo by crafty bean
It's probably because I'm watching my weight at the moment. Boo hoo.
Since we're talking southern hospitality, why don't you pull up a chair with me next to this pineapple fountain in Charleston and lets talk pineapple. Fresh, no cake.
Okay, maybe just one dollop of Lite whipped cream.

Flickr photo by snowleslie99
It's still delicious.
Did you know that the pineapple got its name back when European explorers discovered them in 1694? They thought a pineapple looked like a pine cone, which folks called pineapples back then. (Confused?)
The scientific term is Ananas comosus, which makes me smile because l'ananas is one of my favorite French words. It means pineapple, of course. I bet you know the word for pineapple in Central America.
Here's a hint:

Flickr photo by msondo
Piña! As in piña colada.
Okay. So now I want a piña colada too. Shoot.

Let's distract ourselves with a close up of pineapple skin.

Flickr photo by @Ucreations
Beautiful! Even the skin looks juicy.
Speaking of beautiful, take a look at the work of this pineapple artiste.

Flickr photo by ericparker
Sammy just came in and looked over my shoulder. He says I've forgotten a very important lover of pineapples. Can you guess who he's talking about?
Absorbent and yellow and porous is he.
Why it's Bob l'éponge carrée! That's French for Spongebob Square Pants.

Flickr photo by Rock Chalk Jayhawk Cartographer
His home sweet home is in the Mall of America, in case you want to swing by for a visit.

But why stop there? Let's take a world tour of crazy pineapple architecture.
Next stop? Queensland Australia!

Flickr photo by megbar!
While we're there we could saunter on over to the world's largest macadamia nut.
Or maybe not. We shouldn't lose focus.
Scotland is next.

Flickr photo by Kat 30
Very nice, though not quite as appetizing.
But maybe it's better that way. If we eat too much pineapple, we might just turn into one!


Flickr photo by hawhawjames
Scary!

Have a wonder-full Wednesday, y'all!
Love, Becky