7. Exploding seed pods
“The invariable mark of wisdom,” wrote American essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson back in the 1830s, “is to see the miraculous in the common.”
Of all his many qualities, perhaps it is Sir David’s ability to find wonder and joy in every corner of the world that makes him such an inspirational broadcaster.
“For several weeks now, pressure has been building up inside the pods,” explains Sir David, wielding a stick in the direction of a crop of Ecballium with gentle menace. “Now they’re as taut as a well-pumped up bicycle tyre. All they need is just a slight nudge.”
Cue what can only be described as a dignified assault upon a bed of squirting cucumbers, followed by what can only be described as utter glee at the resulting explosions.
If Sir David has taught us anything, it’s that an exploding seed pod is, in its own way, as magnificent as a Siberian tiger.