Gardening
This vibrant, late-summer blooming tuber is famous for its massive variety of shapes and colors, and thrives when planted in the Pacific Northwest spring.
What is a Dahlia?
Though often used interchangeably with the name of the whole country, "Holland" technically only refers to this many of its twelve provinces.
What is two? (North Holland and South Holland).
This critical safety component is the most important thing you wear on your head, and it must be replaced after any major impact.
What is a helmet?
This is the absolute minimum number of snacks or phone chargers required to keep a teenager cooperative for a 2-hour flight.
What is "infinity" (or an endless supply)?
This life-saving audio accessory is a parent's best defense against loud environments, early morning chatter, or teenager complaints.
What are noise-canceling headphones?
This critical number, which should ideally be around 6.0 to 7.0 for most garden plants, measures how acidic or alkaline your soil is.
What is pH?
This major Dutch city is famous for its intricate canal system, historic narrow houses, and having more bicycles than residents.
What is Amsterdam?
On a standard multi-gear bicycle, you use these components on the handlebars to change gears and make climbing hills easier.
What are shifters?
This is the primary form of non-verbal communication a parent receives when suggesting a "fun, educational family museum tour."
What is an eye roll?
To survive a family vacation without losing your mind, experts recommend sneaking away for a solo coffee or walk, a concept known by this 2-word phrase.
What is "me time" (or a tactical retreat)?
To maximize space and create a lush border, you should practice this method, placing taller plants in the back, medium in the middle, and short ones up front.
What is layering (or tiered planting)?
This is the English translation of the traditional Dutch word "polder," which represents land that has been reclaimed from the sea using dikes.
What is reclaimed land?
This is the name for the annoying, exhausting phenomenon where a cyclist completely runs out of energy and "hits the wall" due to depleted glycogen levels.
What is "bonking" (or blowing up)?
This highly coveted luxury item is the #1 thing teenagers look for the second they walk into a hotel room or Airbnb.
What is the Wi-Fi password?
This adult beverage is a classic vacation staple, often enjoyed poolside at 4:00 PM (or let’s be honest, 2:00 PM) to take the edge off.
What is a cocktail (or wine/beer)?
When designing a garden hedge that won't trigger seasonal allergies, you should opt for female plants or these specific types of plants that do not produce pollen
What are dioecious (or non-pollen producing) plants?
This iconic flower, which sparked a massive economic "mania" and crash in the 17th century, is still synonymous with Dutch fields.
What is the tulip?
Cyclists use this common French term to describe a tightly packed group of riders who save energy by drafting behind one another.
What is a peloton?
To ensure a teenager actually wakes up before noon on vacation, a parent must employ this extreme tactic, or risk losing half the day.
What is scheduling a mandatory, non-negotiable morning activity?
The golden rule of vacation scheduling states you must never over-schedule your days, leaving plenty of time for this restorative activity.
What is downtime (or a nap)?
This is the specific botanical term for the process where certain seeds must undergo a period of sustained cold and damp conditions before they are able to germinate.
What is stratification?
If you want to blend in with the locals in Holland, you’ll trade your car for this two-wheeled primary mode of daily transportation.
What is a bicycle (or fiets)?
This essential, portable tool kit item is what every cyclist needs to carry to fix a flat tire on the side of the road or trail.
What is a tire lever (or flat repair kit / patch kit)?
This is the exact phrase Kristin is most likely to hear from the backseat (or say herself) during a long family road trip.
(Kristin's answer)
This is the ultimate mental shift a parent must make on vacation, accepting that things will go wrong, flights will be delayed, and this will happen to the itinerary.
What is throwing it out the window?