Botany lesson

This month’s winner is STEVE JONES of Fiddletown, California

In May 2016, my wife, Susie, and I — along with 24 people from all around the world ­— were taking a tour of China prior to attending a World Federation of Rose Societies convention being held there.

In Kunming, Yunnan, near the lake, I noticed two female botanist friends of ours from Japan in deep discussion, so I asked what they were discussing.

They told me they were trying to identify a species of Pinus that was not indigenous to the area. 

I looked at the tree, did the Texas longhorn sign (fist with pinkie and thumb extended), put it to my ear and mouth and said, “Cell phone tower.”  

I have never seen anyone turn so red in embarrassment as these two.