Our Labor Day Weekend Guests

What better way to spend a Labor Day weekend than celebrating with guests. Aren't we fortunate that they chose to vacation at our house! Mommy duck and her 12 little babies enjoyed the varied menu of Purely O's and yummy water from the hose. Boo Boo had a blast!

The Apple Blossom Fairy is coming to visit

Autumn is near and our theme for this coming month is APPLES. Boo Boo doesn't know it yet, but the Apple Blossom Fairy will be visiting right after Labor Day to lead us through a journey of discovering apples. I hope you enjoy the sneak peak of Apple Blossom Fairy's debute.

HOW THE APPLE BLOSSOM CAME BACK (copyright by "The Outlook") with a few minor changes ;-)

ONCE upon a time, not so very long ago, there stood in a large orchard a beautiful Apple Tree. All through the long winter it had held out bare branches. The March sun had whispered to it that spring had come. But the cold March winds were not a bit polite, and would answer: "No, it hasn't."

At last, however, Apple Tree began to feel so nice and warm that she thought the March sun was right, and she began to think about getting a new spring gown. The warm April rains helped her, and her buds opened and grew; first into tiny leaves, and then into larger ones, until Apple Tree was wearing a beautiful green dress. All through April she wore it, and was very happy. Then, as the trees about her put on bright colors, and she saw Peach and Pear Tree in pink and white, something seemed to tell her to try what she could do.

So, with the showers, the gentle winds, and the warm sun as dressmakers, Apple Tree's green dress was soon covered with lovely pink and white flowers. And the air all about seemed as sweet as if she carried a great many handkerchiefs with some lovely perfume on each. The Apple Tree felt very glad and proud, and very much pleased when every one who passed said: "Oh, how lovely!"

But, only a week or two later, a damp wind and cold rain came and beat down on her spring suit, until it was quite spoiled. Then Apple tree was so sorry that she let her tear-drops fall with the rain. Her kind Mother Nature did not scold her at all, but only said: "Don't cry about the blossoms, dear; some time you will see them again."

So, all summer long, Apple Tree looked and waited, for she knew that Mother Nature always told the truth. Her arms grew full of apples, and sometimes they seemed too heavy to hold any longer. Always, when she was very tired, came the whisper: "Wait a little while. Your time is coming. You will see your blossoms again."

And, at last, one sunny September day, one yellow apple after another slipped from her hold and lay in the grass beneath. While Apple Tree wondered what would happen, a lady and a little girl came through the orchard and stopped to pick and eat some apples. "Boo Boo," said the mother, "did you ever see the blossom in the apple?" "Oh, no, mommy. Please show it to me!"

Apple Tree bent her tall head so she could hear and see. Could it be that, now, she would find the blossoms that she had lost last spring? The lady carefully cut an apple all around, half-way between the blossom and the stem. And as she laid the halves before her little girl she pointed to the blossom, which showed plainly in both ends.

And Apple Tree held the rest of the fruit tightly in her arms—sure that in each one of her apples lay a blossom she had loved months before.



This story makes me think of how Boo Boo goes in and out of stages/cycles as she develops and grows. It makes me want to hold her snug and tight, hoping I never miss one single second of the joy in each moment of her life ... holding at least an image of each one in my heart.

Mousie Nest

IT was summertime, and in the field were many mice. They were happy, indeed, for here, where they ran back and forth, between the herbs and high stalks, were ripe peas, and wheat, and corn. They bit off the ears, and carried them to their holes, and ate to the full without care or trouble. Then came autumn. The reapers whetted their scythes, and one morning the wheat stalks fell, so the mice had to run from the cats and the birds. They scurried into their holes, and only came out stealthily to fetch a couple of peas or an ear of wheat. But the grain was taken up, bound into sheaves and carried into the village, and food became scarce in the field. Soon, too, came the plough, which broke up the ground, and tore up the little mice's holes. The mice said: "Things are going very badly with us; let us move back into the carrot field." So they did. They liked the carrot field very much. The earth was loose, and the carrots tasted sweet, but along came the farmer to whom the field belonged, and he dug up all the carrots. "The mice have been at them," he said, as he saw the prints of their teeth. Now, the poor mice must go still farther, and they scampered off to a potato field; but here, also, the potatoes were dug up, and the mice were driven away. They complained of the hard times, and sadly took refuge in a clover field, and dug their holes. They intended to stay here all winter, but the times grew even worse, the fields gave them no food, and the little mice were often obliged to run about a great deal to find a pair of forlorn cherry stones, or a hedge plum. At last it grew cold, and heavy rains fell, and some of the mice found their holes full of water. These were
really very bad times. The little mice hurried off to the cities and villages and sought refuge, here, in a barn; there, in a cellar; but still they were chased. The farmer shut his cat in the barn, and the mistress set her trap. Poor little mice! But, at last, came spring and sunshine, and fresh food gladdened the fields once more. The mice went back, dug new holes, and were again glad to be alive.

No worries little field mice ... Boo Boo made you a home.

YUMMY SUN

Here is Ray the Sun before and after baking ... and well, we don't have an after eating pic ... just some crumbs ;-)

The Gnomes

The Gnomes of Autumn have started moving in. Here they are surrounded by some of the items Boo Boo has found on our nature walks.

Boo Boo is a "Wood Workin' Girl"

Boo Boo likes to call herself a "Wood Workin' Girl". Anything that involves wood, wood glue and a hammer and she's all for it. Here are some of her creations.

YELLOW

Wake up the yellow sun is shining
And hark the noisy sparrows
Are wide awake again
Each little bud and blossom
Has lifted up its head
To great the pleasant yellow sunshine
While you are still in bed!
The yellow sun himself has risen
To call them long ago
And he has tried to wake you
This last half hour you know
The merry yellow sunbeams
Have traveled oh so far!
Have crept between the shutters
Despite the bolt and bar
Then wake and like flowers
Lift up each rosy cheek
It is too bright a morning toWaste it all in bed!

This was our first experience with Wet-on-Wet Watercolor Painting and Boo Boo had a wonderful time playing with the yellow fairies to create the sun!

Avoiding the paparazzi with some summer fun

While trying to lay low and avoid the paparazzi, Boo Boo's summer fun and relaxation has included going to the beach, swimming at the pool, gymnastics and yoga, and lots of art work. She has become quite skilled with her front roll, balance beam, and jumping on the trampoline. Also, she loves "downward dog", "upward dog", "tree", "stork" and bunny breaths! Stay tuned and we are sure to catch her in the act and get the photos out to the public ;-)