A Wednesday Story

We've finally had some rain here in the southern Indiana, and much more seasonable temperatures. Still, I was happy that Mr. Sun returned this afternoon for a gramerling evening. Swinging was the first order of business. Bean got to swing first and immediately ordered a story. I don't consider myself much of a story creator, but Bean is an amazing listener, and doesn't require much more than a bear or a wolf and a hero. He always tells me the character names, often chosen from the chapter books we've read to him. Today's characters were Huck and Lindy. Miss Bugg wanted to be included in the tale, but big brother said, "NO!"

I told her not to fear, her time was coming, and she could choose the characters for her swing time tale. Huck, as you might imagine, saved Lindy from the big bear and Bean was satisfied with his story.

One Bean out of the old dolphin swing, immediately replaced by a Bugg, anxious for her story.

She giggled as she told me the tale should include Huck, Bean, Lindy, Bugg and Snow White.

So I began the tale of a tiny cabin in the deep dark woods that housed Huck and Bean, the hunters, and Bugg and Lindy, the gatherers of berries and nuts and mushrooms, living together happily. As I related that Huck and Bean were hunting a moose, while Bugg and Lindy were preparing the above mentioned berries, there came a frantic knock on the little cabin door. Bean stops what he's doing and begins to listen to Bugg's tale. The adventure continues with Snow White begging to be hidden from the wicked step-mother, the girls sending smoke signals to alert the guys of danger, a visit from the witchy woman and the boys going after her in the woods, when Bean yells, "Stop, I need my gun." So I stop the story for him to get his water pistol to role play his part in stopping the evil one from harming Snow White. At this point Bugg insists that Gramerly and Pap need to be included in my tall tale. So Gramerly, bless her heart, administers a potion to the menfolk to protect them from the step-mother, and allows them to dissolve her badness, saving the sweet princess.

Bean is past six, with little experience with toys like video games. I have so appreciated his joy in listening to a good story ( or a lousy one, told well), and his endless desire for another and another. I haven't been able to push the swing and tell another tale long enough for him to ask me to stop. Don't you think it delightful for a child to find such joy in something that costs nothing, wastes nothing, and doesn't require batteries? He listens to stories on tape or CD just as well. Though Bugg was not as easily entertained with listening as her brother, she's come a long way and has begun to enjoy the stories as well. Perhaps it's the teacher in me, but little could please me more.

After stories and swings, we moved into the house for a little autumn crafting.

I had hoped Buttercup would join us, but she wasn't feeling well this evening, so I sent her crafts home with her Daddy. Blue Boy did come and it seems like he's grown a foot since I last saw him.

Tonight, he was completely smitten with his Pappy and laughed and laughed at him. Three month old laughter is the best sound in all the world.