.
“Neil, do you want a wagon wheel,” My cousin Bob asked me.
“Yes, do have a wagon wheel, dear,” said Morag, my kind cousin and Bob's wife.
What’s a wagon wheel, I wondered.
Was it one of those huge wooden wheels that pulled wagons filled with hay. Or was it attached to a covered wagon taking settlers across the American Plains? At 12 years old, my mind was filled with adventure stories.
Wagon wheels spelled crossing raging rivers; hauling hay to the hungry animals; or taking children to school through deep snow drifts.
Morag smiled and said, “Here’s a wagon wheel, Neil,” and she put a round, chocolate cookie into my hand.
“Try it Neil, it tastes great,” laughed Bob.
And I did. I bit into the chocolate and came to the soft interior. Yes, it tasted great!
From that day on, whenever I had a meal with Morag and Bob, they always said, “Neil, do you want a wagon wheel?”
Guess what I said!
Now the years have gone by. Too many years!. The 12 year old boy now has a white beard. The 12 year old boy has travelled to France, Kenya, and Canada. All good memories of adventures…but… the best memory by far was of my kind cousins, Morag and Bob and the chocolate wagon wheel.
Would you like a wagon wheel?
.
(Copyright. 2009)
Monday, December 21, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
JOB SEARCH HELP
.
We've written another web page that'll help you as you look for work.
It's at:
http://jobsearchhelpnow.blogspot.com/
You're welcome to read it.
.
We've written another web page that'll help you as you look for work.
It's at:
http://jobsearchhelpnow.blogspot.com/
You're welcome to read it.
.
DOWNLOAD OUR STORY
Maybe there's a story we've written that you'd like to download and give to a friend or relative.
All our stories are "copyright" but you can download them if you first write us.
Our address is:
Neil and Gerlinde Jones
1563 Agnew Ave
Victoria,
BC
V8N 5N4
All our stories are "copyright" but you can download them if you first write us.
Our address is:
Neil and Gerlinde Jones
1563 Agnew Ave
Victoria,
BC
V8N 5N4
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Ballet Shoes
.
The old ballerina sat back in her arm chair and daydreamed. She remembered the places she’d danced in; Moscow, London, Paris, New York, Toronto, Vancouver. “Ah, such wonderful days." Glitter. Cheers. Flowers. Friends. Conductors.”
She picked up her two pairs of ballet shoes. “Ah, my friends” she said, “When I was quite young I wore you.” She looked at the smaller pair of ballet shoes.
“Then when I grew older and started on my career, I spent all the money I had saved and bought a professional pair of ballet shoes,” she then picked up a well work pair of silver coloured ballet shoes. “If only I could wear you again! Maybe you’re lonely too for the stage, the ballet….Swan Lake.”
Just about this time, a little girl was speaking to her own ballet teacher. “Joan, you’re doing so well. You have promise. You have a great love of the art. What you need now is a better pair of ballet shoes.”
“Madam Romanov, we’re so poor. It’s just Mum and me and Mum’s lost her job!” Joan said, with a tear trickling down her eye.
“Give me a day or two and I’ll see what I can do,” said Madam Romanov.
After Joan left, Madam Romanov picked up the phone and spoke to the old ballerina. She told her Joan’s problem and also told her that Joan had great skills, even at her young age.
“Send her to me. I must meet her. Maybe I can solve her problem,” smiled the old ballerina.
Joan met with the old ballerina and they talked on and on for hours about the joyful and demanding life of a professional ballet dancer.
“Joan, I need your help. I have two friends who are longing to dance again. Will you help them dance?” asked the old ballerina.
“Yes, Madam, I’m happy to help your two friends.”
“Here they are,” said the old ballerina and she pout the two smaller ballet shoes in Joan’s hands, and smiled and smiled.
“Oh Madam, you’re so kind!” Joan smiled.
“Come and see me often and bring my two old friends to visit,” said the old ballerina happily.
.
The old ballerina sat back in her arm chair and daydreamed. She remembered the places she’d danced in; Moscow, London, Paris, New York, Toronto, Vancouver. “Ah, such wonderful days." Glitter. Cheers. Flowers. Friends. Conductors.”
She picked up her two pairs of ballet shoes. “Ah, my friends” she said, “When I was quite young I wore you.” She looked at the smaller pair of ballet shoes.
“Then when I grew older and started on my career, I spent all the money I had saved and bought a professional pair of ballet shoes,” she then picked up a well work pair of silver coloured ballet shoes. “If only I could wear you again! Maybe you’re lonely too for the stage, the ballet….Swan Lake.”
Just about this time, a little girl was speaking to her own ballet teacher. “Joan, you’re doing so well. You have promise. You have a great love of the art. What you need now is a better pair of ballet shoes.”
“Madam Romanov, we’re so poor. It’s just Mum and me and Mum’s lost her job!” Joan said, with a tear trickling down her eye.
“Give me a day or two and I’ll see what I can do,” said Madam Romanov.
After Joan left, Madam Romanov picked up the phone and spoke to the old ballerina. She told her Joan’s problem and also told her that Joan had great skills, even at her young age.
“Send her to me. I must meet her. Maybe I can solve her problem,” smiled the old ballerina.
Joan met with the old ballerina and they talked on and on for hours about the joyful and demanding life of a professional ballet dancer.
“Joan, I need your help. I have two friends who are longing to dance again. Will you help them dance?” asked the old ballerina.
“Yes, Madam, I’m happy to help your two friends.”
“Here they are,” said the old ballerina and she pout the two smaller ballet shoes in Joan’s hands, and smiled and smiled.
“Oh Madam, you’re so kind!” Joan smiled.
“Come and see me often and bring my two old friends to visit,” said the old ballerina happily.
.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Wake up Grandpa!!
.
Wake up, Grandpa!
Many years ago, our three granddaughters visited us for the afternoon. Grandma and I always enjoyed their company. Their names are Hannah, Robin and Madeline.
One visit they said, “Grandpa, let’s do some magic tricks.,”
“OK. Let’s get out some rope. Cut it in pieces. Then put it together again.”
It was a great trick and we all practiced it.
“Grandma, Grandpa, I know how to make a coin bounce off the walls and end up under my foot,” said one of our granddaughters.
“Really!” we said!
“Yes. Here it is in my left hand. Now I’ll slip it into my right hand. Now I’ll throw it around the room…….Now, I’ll lift up my foot and what do you see there?”
“The coin!! How did you do that?” Grandma and I were amazed.
“That’s my secret!” she laughed.
Grandma said, “Now it’s time for some special cookies I’ve just baked,”
The girls all chatted away. My eyelids felt heavier and heavier. Finally, I fell asleep!
After a while, I heard three voices calling out, “Wake up, Grandpa! Wake up Grandpa! Wake up, Grandpa!”
“What’s that, what’s that?” I said, opening my eyes and pretending to be very surprised.
Hannah, Robin and Madeline all laughed.
So from then on, whenever they came by, I made sure I’d pretend to fall asleep. And they’d all call out, “Wake up, Grandpa! Wake up Grandpa! Wake up, Grandpa!”
I’d pretend to wake up …surprised…and say: “What’s that? What’s that? What’s that?”.
Maybe you’d like to play the “Wake up, Grandpa!” game…. Or call it the “Wake up, Grandma!” game. Pretend to be Grandpa or Grandma and wake up with a pretend surprise.
__________________________________
Grandchildren are like gold, aren’t they!
_____________________________________
Wake up, Grandpa!
Many years ago, our three granddaughters visited us for the afternoon. Grandma and I always enjoyed their company. Their names are Hannah, Robin and Madeline.
One visit they said, “Grandpa, let’s do some magic tricks.,”
“OK. Let’s get out some rope. Cut it in pieces. Then put it together again.”
It was a great trick and we all practiced it.
“Grandma, Grandpa, I know how to make a coin bounce off the walls and end up under my foot,” said one of our granddaughters.
“Really!” we said!
“Yes. Here it is in my left hand. Now I’ll slip it into my right hand. Now I’ll throw it around the room…….Now, I’ll lift up my foot and what do you see there?”
“The coin!! How did you do that?” Grandma and I were amazed.
“That’s my secret!” she laughed.
Grandma said, “Now it’s time for some special cookies I’ve just baked,”
The girls all chatted away. My eyelids felt heavier and heavier. Finally, I fell asleep!
After a while, I heard three voices calling out, “Wake up, Grandpa! Wake up Grandpa! Wake up, Grandpa!”
“What’s that, what’s that?” I said, opening my eyes and pretending to be very surprised.
Hannah, Robin and Madeline all laughed.
So from then on, whenever they came by, I made sure I’d pretend to fall asleep. And they’d all call out, “Wake up, Grandpa! Wake up Grandpa! Wake up, Grandpa!”
I’d pretend to wake up …surprised…and say: “What’s that? What’s that? What’s that?”.
Maybe you’d like to play the “Wake up, Grandpa!” game…. Or call it the “Wake up, Grandma!” game. Pretend to be Grandpa or Grandma and wake up with a pretend surprise.
__________________________________
Grandchildren are like gold, aren’t they!
_____________________________________
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Peas and Qs
“Let’s turn TV off and sit around the fire,” I said to our grandchildren.
Gerlinde, their Grandma, said, “That’s a great idea. I’ve made some hot chocolate and we can turn the lights off and enjoy the warm glow of the burning logs.”
“Yes, let’s do that,” our Grandchildren called out.
“I’ve got a puzzle for you to solve,” I said. “When I was a little boy, my mother would say to me: ‘Neil, watch your peas and Qs’. What do you think she meant?”
One of our grandchildren said, “Well, Grandpa, I know what peas are. We boil them up and eat them. So she meant you must make sure the peas don’t boil dry and spoil.”
“That’s a great answer…but…I’m afraid it’s not right! But it’s a good answer and has a lot of truth in it,” I smiled.
“I know the answer, Grandpa,” said another grandchild. “I think ‘Watch your peas’ means ‘watch them grow and feed them with water’”.
“That’s also a good answer with some good truth in it,” I said. “But it’s not the right answer. Please all keep trying.”
Gerlinde, their Grandma, went to the kitchen and got some peanut butter cookies and we all munched on them while we looked at the logs burning.
“Well, I’ll have a go at ‘Watch your Qs,” said another grandchild. “I think it means you must’nt push other people away, you should queue up politely and wait your turn.”
“That’s another great answer. You’ve all given me some very good answers, I’m very proud of you,” I said.
“So am I,” smiled Grandma.
“Grandpa, you’ve got to tell us the answer now,” they all shouted.
So I smiled and said,“ You see, ‘Watch your peas’ should be pronounced ‘Watch your please’. And ‘Q’s’ means ‘Thank You”. Thank you sounds like ‘Q’ “
“So my mother was saying to me, ‘Neil always say ‘please and thank you,’” I said.
Everyone laughed!
......
How very important it is to say “please” and “thank you”.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Fish and Chips
“It’s so cold! I’ll hide in this shop doorway.” The old man’s torn raincoat slapped back and fore in the cruel wind. He pulled his scarf over his battered hat, and tied it under his chin.
“Ah, that’s better. But what’ll I eat tonight?” He put his hand into his pocket and pulled out all the money he had. “Just a few coins. Oh No! Just a few coins. All I can buy is some chips – and not many at that.”
After he’d huddled in the doorway for a bit, he felt a little warmer. “OK. Now it’s for the Fish and Chip Shop.” He limped out of the doorway, Along Wellfield Rd to the Fish and Chip Shop.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
Just about that time, Mam and Dad and I had gone into the same Fish and Chip shop for a special treat for me. I watched the man behind the counter dip fish into the thick batter, then into the bubbling pan for cooking. Chips: rich, brown, tasty. Sprinkled with vinegar and salt.
Oh, how my mouth watered with the thought of it. “Dad, when I grow up I want to work in a Fish and Chip shop and eat and eat all day!” Mam and Dad smiled at each other and at me.
“You’ll never starve, Neil!” Dad said.
Finally, the next fish and chips were ready and the queue of hungry boys and girls and their parents, cheered!!
I heard the bell ring as the Fish and Chip shop door opened. An old ragged man stumbled in. His scarf pulled his battered hat down onto his ears. He was so ragged, old, and unhappy - I felt sorry for him.
Dad paid for our fish and chips and the man behind the counter wrapped them up in yesterday’s newspaper. Then Dad looked at Mam and she nodded. They didn’t always need to speak; often a glance was enough for them to know what to do.
Very quietly, Dad spoke to the man behind the counter, “A good feast of fish and chips, please, for him. But don’t say who paid for it. I was hungry in the war and someone fed me his last piece of bread,” Dad said.
The man behind the counter said, “Good on you, Sir, good on you.”
Mam, Dad and I walked out of the shop. Outside, I looked through the window.
…………………………………………………………………………………
The ragged old man said, “ A few chips, please, all I’ve got are these pennies, so I don’t mind some of your burnt ones, you know the ones you throw away.”
“Very good Sir.”
The man behind the counter got out a huge piece of fish, all covered with lovely brown crispy batter. He ladled chips upon chips into a bag.
“But I can’t pay for all that,” said the old ragged man.
“It’s paid for, Sir.
“Who paid for it?”
“A friend who’s also been hungry.”
“Where is he?”
“He’s gone.”
“Please tell him, thank you. And tell him I’m sharing it with some of my buddies.”
The old ragged man felt like a new man. Someone cared for him!
………………………………………………………………………………………………
I walked home with Mam and Dad. We warmed up the fish and chips again in the stove; poured them onto our plates and poured on HP sauce. What a feast!
Far off, three ragged friends also feasted, huddled in a shop doorway.
Now, many, many years later I remember Wellfield Rd; Cardiff; my kind parents; and the old ragged man.
_________________________________________________________________________
“Ah, that’s better. But what’ll I eat tonight?” He put his hand into his pocket and pulled out all the money he had. “Just a few coins. Oh No! Just a few coins. All I can buy is some chips – and not many at that.”
After he’d huddled in the doorway for a bit, he felt a little warmer. “OK. Now it’s for the Fish and Chip Shop.” He limped out of the doorway, Along Wellfield Rd to the Fish and Chip Shop.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
Just about that time, Mam and Dad and I had gone into the same Fish and Chip shop for a special treat for me. I watched the man behind the counter dip fish into the thick batter, then into the bubbling pan for cooking. Chips: rich, brown, tasty. Sprinkled with vinegar and salt.
Oh, how my mouth watered with the thought of it. “Dad, when I grow up I want to work in a Fish and Chip shop and eat and eat all day!” Mam and Dad smiled at each other and at me.
“You’ll never starve, Neil!” Dad said.
Finally, the next fish and chips were ready and the queue of hungry boys and girls and their parents, cheered!!
I heard the bell ring as the Fish and Chip shop door opened. An old ragged man stumbled in. His scarf pulled his battered hat down onto his ears. He was so ragged, old, and unhappy - I felt sorry for him.
Dad paid for our fish and chips and the man behind the counter wrapped them up in yesterday’s newspaper. Then Dad looked at Mam and she nodded. They didn’t always need to speak; often a glance was enough for them to know what to do.
Very quietly, Dad spoke to the man behind the counter, “A good feast of fish and chips, please, for him. But don’t say who paid for it. I was hungry in the war and someone fed me his last piece of bread,” Dad said.
The man behind the counter said, “Good on you, Sir, good on you.”
Mam, Dad and I walked out of the shop. Outside, I looked through the window.
…………………………………………………………………………………
The ragged old man said, “ A few chips, please, all I’ve got are these pennies, so I don’t mind some of your burnt ones, you know the ones you throw away.”
“Very good Sir.”
The man behind the counter got out a huge piece of fish, all covered with lovely brown crispy batter. He ladled chips upon chips into a bag.
“But I can’t pay for all that,” said the old ragged man.
“It’s paid for, Sir.
“Who paid for it?”
“A friend who’s also been hungry.”
“Where is he?”
“He’s gone.”
“Please tell him, thank you. And tell him I’m sharing it with some of my buddies.”
The old ragged man felt like a new man. Someone cared for him!
………………………………………………………………………………………………
I walked home with Mam and Dad. We warmed up the fish and chips again in the stove; poured them onto our plates and poured on HP sauce. What a feast!
Far off, three ragged friends also feasted, huddled in a shop doorway.
Now, many, many years later I remember Wellfield Rd; Cardiff; my kind parents; and the old ragged man.
_________________________________________________________________________
Friday, March 27, 2009
The Old Lamplighter
“It’s so dark, I’m afraid,” said little Joannie.
“Don’t be so scared,” Billy laughed. The other children kept quiet, but they also didn’t like the cold dark streets when the golden rays of the sun had disappeared.
In those far off days in my home town of Cardiff, for years and years, there were no lamp posts to ease the way for boys and girls who played out in the dark as long as they could. But then came ….gas lighting. Lamp posts would be lit every night and glow out their warmth and friendship, chasing away the cold shadows.
“Here comes the lamp lighter,” yelled Tom. “Look there’s his lantern swinging in the dark.”
“I want to carry it for him,” smiled little Joannie.
“No, I’ll carry it,” said Tom.
“No you won’t,” said Will, giving Tom a push.
Billy yelled, “I’m the biggest. I’m the leader. I’m the boss. I’ll carry his lamp.” The rest of the children kept very quiet. They were a bit scared of Billy. He was taller and he was their leader.
The Old Lamp Lighter came up to the children who were gathered by the dark and lifeless lamppost.
“Hello children. How nice to see you. I need someone to hold my lantern safely while I light the lamp.”
“I’ll hold it,” demanded Billy.
“Thank you Billy, but I want Joannie to hold it. But I’ve a very special job for you, Billy,” said the old lamplighter.” Billy looked very happy indeed to get a special job to do. Joannie was so happy, too.
The Old Lamplighter gave the glowing lantern to Joannie and said, “Billy, I want you to stand by Joannie and look after her. In fact, because you’re the biggest and the leader, I want you to always help the other children and encourage them every day. It’s an important job. Do you think you can do that? I believe you can.”
“Yes Sir!” said Billy proudly.
Then the Old Lamplighter lit the lamp and the lamppost glowed out warmth and friendship.
As he walked away, the children heard him say, “The first shall be last, yes, the first shall be last…Feed my sheep, care for my lambs,” and they guessed what he meant.
_________________________________________________
“Don’t be so scared,” Billy laughed. The other children kept quiet, but they also didn’t like the cold dark streets when the golden rays of the sun had disappeared.
In those far off days in my home town of Cardiff, for years and years, there were no lamp posts to ease the way for boys and girls who played out in the dark as long as they could. But then came ….gas lighting. Lamp posts would be lit every night and glow out their warmth and friendship, chasing away the cold shadows.
“Here comes the lamp lighter,” yelled Tom. “Look there’s his lantern swinging in the dark.”
“I want to carry it for him,” smiled little Joannie.
“No, I’ll carry it,” said Tom.
“No you won’t,” said Will, giving Tom a push.
Billy yelled, “I’m the biggest. I’m the leader. I’m the boss. I’ll carry his lamp.” The rest of the children kept very quiet. They were a bit scared of Billy. He was taller and he was their leader.
The Old Lamp Lighter came up to the children who were gathered by the dark and lifeless lamppost.
“Hello children. How nice to see you. I need someone to hold my lantern safely while I light the lamp.”
“I’ll hold it,” demanded Billy.
“Thank you Billy, but I want Joannie to hold it. But I’ve a very special job for you, Billy,” said the old lamplighter.” Billy looked very happy indeed to get a special job to do. Joannie was so happy, too.
The Old Lamplighter gave the glowing lantern to Joannie and said, “Billy, I want you to stand by Joannie and look after her. In fact, because you’re the biggest and the leader, I want you to always help the other children and encourage them every day. It’s an important job. Do you think you can do that? I believe you can.”
“Yes Sir!” said Billy proudly.
Then the Old Lamplighter lit the lamp and the lamppost glowed out warmth and friendship.
As he walked away, the children heard him say, “The first shall be last, yes, the first shall be last…Feed my sheep, care for my lambs,” and they guessed what he meant.
_________________________________________________
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Climbing out.
The little cat walked along the narrow path throught the forest. Then she saw a long wide hole in her way. She crept slowly to the edge of the hole and looked in. It was so deep and dangerous!
The little cat said, “It’s such a deep hole, but there’s no way round it!” So she stepped carefully onto a long pole that stretched from her side of the deep hole, to the other side.
Very slowly and carefully, the little cat crept along the pole.
Suddenly, the pole twisted and she clung on to it with her front paws, with her legs dangling there in space!
“Oh no! Oh no! I’m going to fall, I’m going to fall,” she cried. Then her front paws slipped on the wet pole and she tumbled into the deep hole, sliding down it's muddy side.
Dazed and bruised, she stood up and tried to jump out of the hole. The top of the hole was too high; the sides of the hole were too slippery; and she finally lay panting, tired out at the bottom of the hole.
A little while later, another little cat walked along the same path up to the same deep hole. She also tried to walk across on the slippery pole. She also fell in!
“Are you OK?” asked the first cat.
“I think so,” said the second cat. “I’ll walk around a bit and see how I feel.”
She walked around in the mud of the deep hole and said, “I’m a bit bruised, but I’m OK, thanks.”
“I’ve tried and tried to jump out. I’ve tried and tried to climb up the sides; but I just can’t do it!” said the first little cat.
They both lay there in the cold mud and felt so very sorry for themselves.
The first cat had a great idea! “If I jump up to that root that’s growing out of the side…and you jump onto my back…then you can jump out of the hole!”
“That’s a great idea,” said the second cat.
They tried it out and it worked! The second cat jumped out of the hole then lay down and reached her paw down. The first cat jumped up, grabbed hold of the paw and pulled herself out of the deep dark hole.
Bruised and sore, they walked together down the path.
“When we helped each other, we found a way out,” they said and felt much happier.
The little cat said, “It’s such a deep hole, but there’s no way round it!” So she stepped carefully onto a long pole that stretched from her side of the deep hole, to the other side.
Very slowly and carefully, the little cat crept along the pole.
Suddenly, the pole twisted and she clung on to it with her front paws, with her legs dangling there in space!
“Oh no! Oh no! I’m going to fall, I’m going to fall,” she cried. Then her front paws slipped on the wet pole and she tumbled into the deep hole, sliding down it's muddy side.
Dazed and bruised, she stood up and tried to jump out of the hole. The top of the hole was too high; the sides of the hole were too slippery; and she finally lay panting, tired out at the bottom of the hole.
A little while later, another little cat walked along the same path up to the same deep hole. She also tried to walk across on the slippery pole. She also fell in!
“Are you OK?” asked the first cat.
“I think so,” said the second cat. “I’ll walk around a bit and see how I feel.”
She walked around in the mud of the deep hole and said, “I’m a bit bruised, but I’m OK, thanks.”
“I’ve tried and tried to jump out. I’ve tried and tried to climb up the sides; but I just can’t do it!” said the first little cat.
They both lay there in the cold mud and felt so very sorry for themselves.
The first cat had a great idea! “If I jump up to that root that’s growing out of the side…and you jump onto my back…then you can jump out of the hole!”
“That’s a great idea,” said the second cat.
They tried it out and it worked! The second cat jumped out of the hole then lay down and reached her paw down. The first cat jumped up, grabbed hold of the paw and pulled herself out of the deep dark hole.
Bruised and sore, they walked together down the path.
“When we helped each other, we found a way out,” they said and felt much happier.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Making Diamonds
“Look at the diamonds, Grandma, Grandpa!” Mary pointed at the sky.
“Stars are so pretty, darling, twinkling so high up there. High up in the beautiful black sky,” Grandma smiled.
“They seem to say, ‘Look at the lovely black sky; so deep; so mysterious; so kind,” said Grandpa.
“Yes the black sky is beautiful, Grandpa.”
“Stars are real diamonds,” said Grandpa. “Do you know why?”
“No, Grandpa, why are they real diamonds ?”
“Because once you’ve seen them, you can always think of them, wherever you are. Like diamonds, they last forever,” Grandpa said.
Grandma said, “Grandpa and I have lots and lots of diamonds!”
“Really – where are they?” Mary asked.
Grandpa laughed, “One diamond is the first time I met the beautiful lady you call Grandma!”
Grandma smiled and said, “One diamond is when you were born, Mary, and we held you in our arms.”
“Another one is when you picked us some flowers. Even though they were weeds, we loved them so much,” smiled Grandpa.
“What diamonds do you have, Mary?” asked Grandpa.
Mary thought for a while, “Well, I fell over at school, last week and a girl I didn’t know came over and helped me up and dried my eyes. We’ve become good friends! That’s my diamond!”
“How can you make a diamond, Mary?” asked Grandma.
Mary thought for a while, “I can smile at someone and say, ‘Hi, how are you?’”
“That’s a lovely diamond, Mary. Well done!” said Grandpa.
“When we were very young, we used to say this rhyme,” said Grandma :
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky!
Grandma said: “ Mary, Grandpa and I have found that these these “helping” diamonds can never be lost; never be stolen; bring so much happiness; and we can think about them whenever we want. Memories are like diamonds, they last forever. We try to make diamonds every day for other people.”
___________________________________________________________________
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky!
When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.
Then the traveller in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.
In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.
As your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the traveller in the dark,
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
______________________________________
“Stars are so pretty, darling, twinkling so high up there. High up in the beautiful black sky,” Grandma smiled.
“They seem to say, ‘Look at the lovely black sky; so deep; so mysterious; so kind,” said Grandpa.
“Yes the black sky is beautiful, Grandpa.”
“Stars are real diamonds,” said Grandpa. “Do you know why?”
“No, Grandpa, why are they real diamonds ?”
“Because once you’ve seen them, you can always think of them, wherever you are. Like diamonds, they last forever,” Grandpa said.
Grandma said, “Grandpa and I have lots and lots of diamonds!”
“Really – where are they?” Mary asked.
Grandpa laughed, “One diamond is the first time I met the beautiful lady you call Grandma!”
Grandma smiled and said, “One diamond is when you were born, Mary, and we held you in our arms.”
“Another one is when you picked us some flowers. Even though they were weeds, we loved them so much,” smiled Grandpa.
“What diamonds do you have, Mary?” asked Grandpa.
Mary thought for a while, “Well, I fell over at school, last week and a girl I didn’t know came over and helped me up and dried my eyes. We’ve become good friends! That’s my diamond!”
“How can you make a diamond, Mary?” asked Grandma.
Mary thought for a while, “I can smile at someone and say, ‘Hi, how are you?’”
“That’s a lovely diamond, Mary. Well done!” said Grandpa.
“When we were very young, we used to say this rhyme,” said Grandma :
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky!
Grandma said: “ Mary, Grandpa and I have found that these these “helping” diamonds can never be lost; never be stolen; bring so much happiness; and we can think about them whenever we want. Memories are like diamonds, they last forever. We try to make diamonds every day for other people.”
___________________________________________________________________
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky!
When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.
Then the traveller in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.
In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.
As your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the traveller in the dark,
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
______________________________________
Irish Smiles
“I had a lovely time in Ireland. I grew to love it: the green fields; fishing boats; hundreds of lakes and lots of jokes,” said Jack.
Joan said, “I’m glad you had a good vacation. While you were away, I found these Irish sayings on the Internet.”
It’s the quiet pigs that eat the meal.
Little is best if well done.
A beetle recognizes another beetle
Beware of the anger of a patient man.
Many a time, a man's mouth broke his nose.
An empty sack won't stand.
An awkward colt often becomes a beautiful horse.
A windy day is no day for thatching.
Jack laughed, and said, “Let’s work out what they mean….for fun.”
“Yes, let’s,” said Joan.
“Oh, there’s one Irish verse I really like, Jack. Here it is….:”
“May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be ever at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face
And the rain fall softly on your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.”
Jack said, “I think I heard that being sung in a concert I went to in Armagh, Ireland. It’s such a happy song – full of pictures.I felt so good when I heard it”
________________________________________
Joan said, “I’m glad you had a good vacation. While you were away, I found these Irish sayings on the Internet.”
It’s the quiet pigs that eat the meal.
Little is best if well done.
A beetle recognizes another beetle
Beware of the anger of a patient man.
Many a time, a man's mouth broke his nose.
An empty sack won't stand.
An awkward colt often becomes a beautiful horse.
A windy day is no day for thatching.
Jack laughed, and said, “Let’s work out what they mean….for fun.”
“Yes, let’s,” said Joan.
“Oh, there’s one Irish verse I really like, Jack. Here it is….:”
“May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be ever at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face
And the rain fall softly on your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.”
Jack said, “I think I heard that being sung in a concert I went to in Armagh, Ireland. It’s such a happy song – full of pictures.I felt so good when I heard it”
________________________________________
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Gypsy Tea.
“Tell your fortune, lady?”
“No thanks, my dear. We don’t have much money to spare. But you look cold. Come in for a cup of tea and a rest.”
The young gypsy smiled, and said, “Oh thank you, thank you. Baby and I are so cold.”
I was very young at the time but I well remember the young gypsy with her long black hair, her golden ear rings, and her dark smiling face.
She followed my mother and me into our house. Mum said, “Sit here by the fire, and get warm.”
Mum looked at the little baby and said, “What a lovely baby!”
“Thank you. She’s my first, the first of many!”
They both laughed.
“Here’s your tea and take a slab of cake to fill you up,” Mum smiled.
Mum and the young Gypsy had several cups of tea and a friendly chat for half an hour or so.
Then the young Gypsy said:“You’re so kind. I must go now. But before I go, I want you to have these clothes pegs I carved. Think of me and my baby when you hang out your clothes to dry. I’ll never forget your kindness: the tea, slabs of cake and your warm fire.”
“Thank you so much, my dear,” said my mother. She gave the young gypsy a hug.
It doesn’t take much for people to be kind to each other, does it?
_____________________________________________
Even though I was very small at the time, I remember those far off days. The world was in crisis, like it is now. Jobs were scarce, money was scarce but kindness, as always, was so very valuable.
_____________________________________________
If I can help somebody
Who’s feeling low.
If I can help somebody
When everyone says, No.
If I can help somebody
And make their lives aglow.
Then my living
Will not be in vain
______________________________________
We wrote the words above based on an old song.
You may like to listen to the original words of the
song on You Tube.“If I can help somebody” by .
A. Bazel Androzzo, © 1945
Glenn Payne sings the original tune on You Tube.
_____________________________________
If I Can Help Somebody
A. Bazel Androzzo, © 1945
If I can help somebody as I pass along,
If I can cheer somebody with a word or song,
If I can show somebody who’s trav’ling wrong,
Then my living shall not be in vain.
Then my living shall not be in vain,
Then my living shall not be in vain;
If I can help somebody as I pass along,
Then my living shall not be in vain.
_________________________________________
“No thanks, my dear. We don’t have much money to spare. But you look cold. Come in for a cup of tea and a rest.”
The young gypsy smiled, and said, “Oh thank you, thank you. Baby and I are so cold.”
I was very young at the time but I well remember the young gypsy with her long black hair, her golden ear rings, and her dark smiling face.
She followed my mother and me into our house. Mum said, “Sit here by the fire, and get warm.”
Mum looked at the little baby and said, “What a lovely baby!”
“Thank you. She’s my first, the first of many!”
They both laughed.
“Here’s your tea and take a slab of cake to fill you up,” Mum smiled.
Mum and the young Gypsy had several cups of tea and a friendly chat for half an hour or so.
Then the young Gypsy said:“You’re so kind. I must go now. But before I go, I want you to have these clothes pegs I carved. Think of me and my baby when you hang out your clothes to dry. I’ll never forget your kindness: the tea, slabs of cake and your warm fire.”
“Thank you so much, my dear,” said my mother. She gave the young gypsy a hug.
It doesn’t take much for people to be kind to each other, does it?
_____________________________________________
Even though I was very small at the time, I remember those far off days. The world was in crisis, like it is now. Jobs were scarce, money was scarce but kindness, as always, was so very valuable.
_____________________________________________
If I can help somebody
Who’s feeling low.
If I can help somebody
When everyone says, No.
If I can help somebody
And make their lives aglow.
Then my living
Will not be in vain
______________________________________
We wrote the words above based on an old song.
You may like to listen to the original words of the
song on You Tube.“If I can help somebody” by .
A. Bazel Androzzo, © 1945
Glenn Payne sings the original tune on You Tube.
_____________________________________
If I Can Help Somebody
A. Bazel Androzzo, © 1945
If I can help somebody as I pass along,
If I can cheer somebody with a word or song,
If I can show somebody who’s trav’ling wrong,
Then my living shall not be in vain.
Then my living shall not be in vain,
Then my living shall not be in vain;
If I can help somebody as I pass along,
Then my living shall not be in vain.
_________________________________________
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Little things mean a lot.
“I’m telling teacher,” Jack said to the new classmate, Terry.
“What did I do wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why are you telling teacher?”
“Because you’ve done something right!”
Jack explained to Terry, “In this school, we write reports on you when you do something kind to someone else.”
“Really,” said Terry, “that’s strange. I’ve never been in a school like this before. I like it.”
“So Terry,” said Jack, “ I saw you helping Andrew find the right page in the text book. That was a really kind of you! So I’m reporting you! Teacher will be so happy to read about what you did.”
Terry smiled. He knew he’d like this school a lot.
_______________________________________________
LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT
Please help me up when I slip and fall
Walk with me when I’m feeling sad
Your kindness makes me again be tall
Little things mean a lot.
Give me a hand when I've lost the way
Give me your shoulder to cry on
Whether the day is bright or gray
Give me your heart to rely on.
Send me the warmth of a secret smile
To show me you haven't forgot
For now and forever,
that's always and ever
Little things mean a lot.
____________________________________
Edith Lindeman and Carl Stutz, published in 1953
We wrote Verse 1.
_________________________________
“What did I do wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why are you telling teacher?”
“Because you’ve done something right!”
Jack explained to Terry, “In this school, we write reports on you when you do something kind to someone else.”
“Really,” said Terry, “that’s strange. I’ve never been in a school like this before. I like it.”
“So Terry,” said Jack, “ I saw you helping Andrew find the right page in the text book. That was a really kind of you! So I’m reporting you! Teacher will be so happy to read about what you did.”
Terry smiled. He knew he’d like this school a lot.
_______________________________________________
LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT
Please help me up when I slip and fall
Walk with me when I’m feeling sad
Your kindness makes me again be tall
Little things mean a lot.
Give me a hand when I've lost the way
Give me your shoulder to cry on
Whether the day is bright or gray
Give me your heart to rely on.
Send me the warmth of a secret smile
To show me you haven't forgot
For now and forever,
that's always and ever
Little things mean a lot.
____________________________________
Edith Lindeman and Carl Stutz, published in 1953
We wrote Verse 1.
_________________________________
Tommy's Present
“I must buy some flowers for Mum’s birthday,” Little Tommy said to himself as he sat on the side of his bed.
He got up and opened the drawer where he kept all his treasures: a knife, an old pen, some comics, a battered old cap – and the main treasure, a glass container that had all his money. Little Tommy liked to shake the bottle and hear all the small coins make a jingling sound. The more small coins he had there, the more the bottle jingled.
He poured the coins on his bed and counted up what he had.
“Maybe there’s enough for roses for Mummy. I know she likes roses.” He gathered up the coins again and put them carefully back into the bottle. Then he walked downstairs; out of the house and along the road to the flower store.
Tommy pressed his nose against the window and saw bunches of lovely red roses; green ferns; pretty twigs; irisis, azalea; carnations; tulips and forget-me-nots. ”They’re so pretty…just like Mummy”, he said.
Feeling very important, he opened the door to the flower store and marched up to the counter. The kind sales lady looked down at him,
“Can I help you, sir ?” she asked.
“I need to buy some flowers for Mummy’s birthday. Here’s the money I’ve saved up,” Tommy said happily.
The kind sales lady counted up the money and her face clouded over.
“I’m sorry, sir, the flowers cost such a lot of money and you need to save some more.”
“But it’s Mummy’s birthday tomorrow!” he said with a gasp.
“Well, sir, I can sell you a lovely glass pot to put flowers in. Maybe you can find some flowers growing somewhere and put them in, ” she said.
“That’s a lovely glass pot, yes I’ll buy it. Thank you so much,” little Tommy smiled.
Feeling quite proud of himself, Tommy walked out with a large paper bag containing the pretty pot. He walked along the road and looked for flowers to put in it. He found some. They were a lovely yellow colour and he carefully pulled them up and put them in the pot in the bag.
Little Tommy spent all the morning walking along the roads near his home and collecting lots of colourful flowers.
The next day, Grandma and I went to visit Mrs. Rogers, Tommy’s mother, and wish her a happy birthday.
“Look at the flowers I got,” she pointed at bunches of roses, forget-me-nots, azaleas, irises.
There in the middle of them all was a pretty pot filled with weeds, golden yellow weeds;
dark green weeds; light colored weeds.
Mrs. Rogers took the pot up in her hands and looked at the weeds. She started to cry. “This is the best gift of all,” she said through her tears. “Tommy found all these lovely flowers himself.”
All the roses, azaleas, forget-me-nots in the world were not as valuable as Tommy’s present of a pretty pot filled with lovely weeds.
Grandma said to me as we walked home, “Weeds covered with love mean the world to Mrs. Rogers.”
Love is like gold, isn’t it.It’s even more valuable than gold!
____________________________________________________________________
He got up and opened the drawer where he kept all his treasures: a knife, an old pen, some comics, a battered old cap – and the main treasure, a glass container that had all his money. Little Tommy liked to shake the bottle and hear all the small coins make a jingling sound. The more small coins he had there, the more the bottle jingled.
He poured the coins on his bed and counted up what he had.
“Maybe there’s enough for roses for Mummy. I know she likes roses.” He gathered up the coins again and put them carefully back into the bottle. Then he walked downstairs; out of the house and along the road to the flower store.
Tommy pressed his nose against the window and saw bunches of lovely red roses; green ferns; pretty twigs; irisis, azalea; carnations; tulips and forget-me-nots. ”They’re so pretty…just like Mummy”, he said.
Feeling very important, he opened the door to the flower store and marched up to the counter. The kind sales lady looked down at him,
“Can I help you, sir ?” she asked.
“I need to buy some flowers for Mummy’s birthday. Here’s the money I’ve saved up,” Tommy said happily.
The kind sales lady counted up the money and her face clouded over.
“I’m sorry, sir, the flowers cost such a lot of money and you need to save some more.”
“But it’s Mummy’s birthday tomorrow!” he said with a gasp.
“Well, sir, I can sell you a lovely glass pot to put flowers in. Maybe you can find some flowers growing somewhere and put them in, ” she said.
“That’s a lovely glass pot, yes I’ll buy it. Thank you so much,” little Tommy smiled.
Feeling quite proud of himself, Tommy walked out with a large paper bag containing the pretty pot. He walked along the road and looked for flowers to put in it. He found some. They were a lovely yellow colour and he carefully pulled them up and put them in the pot in the bag.
Little Tommy spent all the morning walking along the roads near his home and collecting lots of colourful flowers.
The next day, Grandma and I went to visit Mrs. Rogers, Tommy’s mother, and wish her a happy birthday.
“Look at the flowers I got,” she pointed at bunches of roses, forget-me-nots, azaleas, irises.
There in the middle of them all was a pretty pot filled with weeds, golden yellow weeds;
dark green weeds; light colored weeds.
Mrs. Rogers took the pot up in her hands and looked at the weeds. She started to cry. “This is the best gift of all,” she said through her tears. “Tommy found all these lovely flowers himself.”
All the roses, azaleas, forget-me-nots in the world were not as valuable as Tommy’s present of a pretty pot filled with lovely weeds.
Grandma said to me as we walked home, “Weeds covered with love mean the world to Mrs. Rogers.”
Love is like gold, isn’t it.It’s even more valuable than gold!
____________________________________________________________________
Granny Teapot.
“Granny Teapot can help you, my dear, “Mrs. Jenkins said to her young neighbour.
Patsy brushed the tears from her eyes, “Granny Teapot?”
“Well, that’s not her real name, it’s Mrs. Craig. But everyone calls her Granny Teapot. She’s such a kind lady, a retired Social Worker. Whenever someone needs help, she talks to them over a cup of tea and a muffin or two.”
“She sound like a very nice lady,” said Patsy, “Would she mind if I phoned her?”
“No, my dear, she loves helping people. She told me last week that she’s many friends who spend their retirement playing golf and gossiping about their relatives, but she wants to spend her years helping people.”
So Patsy phoned this kind lady; visited her in her little house and told her all about her worries while they sipped tea and ate a couple of muffins.
Maybe you know of other “Granny Teapots” – they’ve always helped people in their work life and are still helping people now they’re retired.
THE LITTLE TEAPOT
I’m a little tea pot
Short and stout.
Here is my handle
Here is my spout.
When I hear the tea cups,
Hear me shout:
“Tip me over and pour me out.”
___________________________
THE LITTLE TEAPOT
I’m a little tea pot
Short and stout.
Here is my handle
Here is my spout.
When the tea is ready
Hear me shout
“Into the tea cups, pour me out.”
_______________________________
Patsy brushed the tears from her eyes, “Granny Teapot?”
“Well, that’s not her real name, it’s Mrs. Craig. But everyone calls her Granny Teapot. She’s such a kind lady, a retired Social Worker. Whenever someone needs help, she talks to them over a cup of tea and a muffin or two.”
“She sound like a very nice lady,” said Patsy, “Would she mind if I phoned her?”
“No, my dear, she loves helping people. She told me last week that she’s many friends who spend their retirement playing golf and gossiping about their relatives, but she wants to spend her years helping people.”
So Patsy phoned this kind lady; visited her in her little house and told her all about her worries while they sipped tea and ate a couple of muffins.
Maybe you know of other “Granny Teapots” – they’ve always helped people in their work life and are still helping people now they’re retired.
THE LITTLE TEAPOT
I’m a little tea pot
Short and stout.
Here is my handle
Here is my spout.
When I hear the tea cups,
Hear me shout:
“Tip me over and pour me out.”
___________________________
THE LITTLE TEAPOT
I’m a little tea pot
Short and stout.
Here is my handle
Here is my spout.
When the tea is ready
Hear me shout
“Into the tea cups, pour me out.”
_______________________________
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Hickory the little Mouse.
Look Mom, there’s a little mouse,”
“Where is it Mary?” Mom asked.
“There at the foot of my bed. It’s so small.”
“Yes, let’s be very quiet and not frighten it,” said Mom.
So they both kept quiet and watched the little mouse. It stood up on its tiny legs; brushed it’s whiskers with its little paw and seemed to say, “Hello, nice to meet you!”
Then is scurried away from the foot of the bed, out the open doorway and outside into the warm summer’s night.“What a happy little mouse,” said Mary.
“Yes, Mary. It seemed to know we were kind people. Now it’s time for you to go to sleep,” her mother said. She tucked Mary up in bed, gave her a kiss and quietly walked out.
Mary closed her eyes and thought about the day she’d had. Swimming; climbing trees;playing Pirates with her friends; and drinking cool orange juice with Mom and Dad.
Then she fell asleep and dreamed of the little mouse. Here’s her dream:……………………………………………………………………………………………
Mary's Dream
The blue sky
Birds flying by
Roses and honeysuckle
Gentle streams
Tiny fish
A tiny pathway
Through the tall, tall trees
What a day!Hickory, the little mouse,was so happy.
Playing; exploring; climbing;All day!Then she heard the old clock on the tall church steeple -chiming, chiming, chiming.Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong.
“Oh dear, I think I’m late for dinner,” she said to hermself.
“Hickory, Hickory, where are you,” she heard his mother calinm.
“Oh dear, I know I’m late. I know I’m late,” she said again.
Her mother, Mrs. Mouse, smiled at her as she came into their kitchen.“You’re just in time for dinner, Hickory,” she said.
“What is it, Mom?”
“It’s your favorite!”Hickory smiled,
“Welsh Rarebit!”“Yes! Cheese on bread and all toasted!”
“Thanks Mom. Scrumptuous!”
Her mother and father also enjoyed the Welsh Rarebit. Mrs Mouse said, ”Hickory, I think you’ve got a problem telling what time it is. Grandma and Grandpa said they’d help you learn how to read a clock. They’ll call in after dinner to help you.”
Sure enough, after dinner, Grandma Mouse and Grandpa Mouse knocked on the door. “Come in, come in,” said Mr. and Mrs. Mouse.
After a warm cup of tea, Grandma Mouse turned to Hickory and said, “Grandpa and I want to help you learn how to tell the time.”
“Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa.”
“First of all you’ve got to climb up the clock and listen to what it’s saying,” said Grandpa Mouse with a grin.
So Hickory climbed up the tall clock and put his ear to it.
“It’s saying Tick Tock; Tick Tock; Tick Toc.”Grandma Mouse said, “Come down again Hickory.”
So Hickory climbed carefully down.“Do you see the two hands of the clock?”
“Yes, Grandpa.”
“What size are they?”
“One’s small and one’s big,” Hickory said.
“Good,” said Grandma Mouse. “When the small hand points to a number, then that’s the hour.“
"And when the big hand points to 12, that’s exactly the hour it is,” said Grandpa Mouse.
“Here’s a little rhyme that’ll help you,” said Grandma Mouse:
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse did run!
Hickory Dickory Dock.
Hickory, Mrs. Mouse, Grandma and Grandpa Mouse all laughed and laughed and laughed.
“It’s about me,” laughed Hickory.
“Grandma and I’ve written a verse for every hour, to help you remember,” said Grandpa Mouse.
“Here it is. But we’ve been thinking of your brother Tommy. When he’s older you can teach him the rhyme. So when you read the rhyme you’ll see we’ve used the words HE and SHE.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” cried Hickory and hugged Grandma and Grandpa.
Hickory Dickory Dock
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse did run!
Hickory Dickory Dock.
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck two
She hid in a shoe
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck three
He had some tea
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck four
She knocked on the door
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck five
He saw a beehive
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck six
She picked up some sticks
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck seven
He walked to Devon
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck eight
She looked in the grate
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck nine
He looked at the time
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck ten
She wrote with a pen
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck eleven
His face started to redden
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck twelve
And she sat on the shelve
Hickory Dickory Dock!
…………………………………
“Oh, thank you Grandma and Grandpa. Just for me…that’s wonderful!” Hickory said.…………………………………
The blue sky
Birds flying by
Roses and honeysuckle
Gentle streams
Tiny fish.
A tiny pathway
Through the tall, tall trees.
What a day!
………………………………….
What a day, Hickory had.
What a dream, Mary had.
Mary smiled happily in her sleep. She’d see Hickory, Mrs. Mouse, Grandma and Grandpa Mouse, again in her dreams
_________________________
Verse 1 is an old, old rhyme. Verses 2-12 were written by us.You can hear the rhyme sung on “you tube”. Search for it on Google.
_________________________
“Where is it Mary?” Mom asked.
“There at the foot of my bed. It’s so small.”
“Yes, let’s be very quiet and not frighten it,” said Mom.
So they both kept quiet and watched the little mouse. It stood up on its tiny legs; brushed it’s whiskers with its little paw and seemed to say, “Hello, nice to meet you!”
Then is scurried away from the foot of the bed, out the open doorway and outside into the warm summer’s night.“What a happy little mouse,” said Mary.
“Yes, Mary. It seemed to know we were kind people. Now it’s time for you to go to sleep,” her mother said. She tucked Mary up in bed, gave her a kiss and quietly walked out.
Mary closed her eyes and thought about the day she’d had. Swimming; climbing trees;playing Pirates with her friends; and drinking cool orange juice with Mom and Dad.
Then she fell asleep and dreamed of the little mouse. Here’s her dream:……………………………………………………………………………………………
Mary's Dream
The blue sky
Birds flying by
Roses and honeysuckle
Gentle streams
Tiny fish
A tiny pathway
Through the tall, tall trees
What a day!Hickory, the little mouse,was so happy.
Playing; exploring; climbing;All day!Then she heard the old clock on the tall church steeple -chiming, chiming, chiming.Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong.
“Oh dear, I think I’m late for dinner,” she said to hermself.
“Hickory, Hickory, where are you,” she heard his mother calinm.
“Oh dear, I know I’m late. I know I’m late,” she said again.
Her mother, Mrs. Mouse, smiled at her as she came into their kitchen.“You’re just in time for dinner, Hickory,” she said.
“What is it, Mom?”
“It’s your favorite!”Hickory smiled,
“Welsh Rarebit!”“Yes! Cheese on bread and all toasted!”
“Thanks Mom. Scrumptuous!”
Her mother and father also enjoyed the Welsh Rarebit. Mrs Mouse said, ”Hickory, I think you’ve got a problem telling what time it is. Grandma and Grandpa said they’d help you learn how to read a clock. They’ll call in after dinner to help you.”
Sure enough, after dinner, Grandma Mouse and Grandpa Mouse knocked on the door. “Come in, come in,” said Mr. and Mrs. Mouse.
After a warm cup of tea, Grandma Mouse turned to Hickory and said, “Grandpa and I want to help you learn how to tell the time.”
“Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa.”
“First of all you’ve got to climb up the clock and listen to what it’s saying,” said Grandpa Mouse with a grin.
So Hickory climbed up the tall clock and put his ear to it.
“It’s saying Tick Tock; Tick Tock; Tick Toc.”Grandma Mouse said, “Come down again Hickory.”
So Hickory climbed carefully down.“Do you see the two hands of the clock?”
“Yes, Grandpa.”
“What size are they?”
“One’s small and one’s big,” Hickory said.
“Good,” said Grandma Mouse. “When the small hand points to a number, then that’s the hour.“
"And when the big hand points to 12, that’s exactly the hour it is,” said Grandpa Mouse.
“Here’s a little rhyme that’ll help you,” said Grandma Mouse:
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse did run!
Hickory Dickory Dock.
Hickory, Mrs. Mouse, Grandma and Grandpa Mouse all laughed and laughed and laughed.
“It’s about me,” laughed Hickory.
“Grandma and I’ve written a verse for every hour, to help you remember,” said Grandpa Mouse.
“Here it is. But we’ve been thinking of your brother Tommy. When he’s older you can teach him the rhyme. So when you read the rhyme you’ll see we’ve used the words HE and SHE.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” cried Hickory and hugged Grandma and Grandpa.
Hickory Dickory Dock
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse did run!
Hickory Dickory Dock.
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck two
She hid in a shoe
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck three
He had some tea
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck four
She knocked on the door
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck five
He saw a beehive
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck six
She picked up some sticks
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck seven
He walked to Devon
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck eight
She looked in the grate
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck nine
He looked at the time
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck ten
She wrote with a pen
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck eleven
His face started to redden
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck twelve
And she sat on the shelve
Hickory Dickory Dock!
…………………………………
“Oh, thank you Grandma and Grandpa. Just for me…that’s wonderful!” Hickory said.…………………………………
The blue sky
Birds flying by
Roses and honeysuckle
Gentle streams
Tiny fish.
A tiny pathway
Through the tall, tall trees.
What a day!
………………………………….
What a day, Hickory had.
What a dream, Mary had.
Mary smiled happily in her sleep. She’d see Hickory, Mrs. Mouse, Grandma and Grandpa Mouse, again in her dreams
_________________________
Verse 1 is an old, old rhyme. Verses 2-12 were written by us.You can hear the rhyme sung on “you tube”. Search for it on Google.
_________________________
Farm Problems.
Farmer John looked worried, “Mary, we’ve got no money left to pay for extra workers for the harvest!”
His wife, Mary, put down her cup and said, “We made a wise choice buying that extra field – but then old Jake got sick and we had to pay for the doctor.”
Old Jake was one of the many “gentlemen of the road” – often called “tramps”. Tramps would trim hedges, clean up gardens of rubbish, help farmers with haymaking. When they were young, they enjoyed this care free life and tramped from farm to farm to look for work.
But Old Jake was old! He’d tramped for his work for years and years. Many farmers looked on Old Jake as a personal friend so when he got sick, his friends, Farmer John and his wife, Mary, looked after him. That’s where the money went, on doctor’s fees, instead of hiring more workers.
Bill said, “Dad, is there anything I can do to help?
“Thanks Bill. I’d like to sharpen the scythes so we’re ready to mow the meadow tomorrow. I still don’t know how we can pay for the labourers to help us, though.”
In those far off days, people didn’t use machinery to cut the grass: they used scythes. These were long poles with a three foot blade attached to them .They hold the poles close to their body and swing the blade to cut the grass.
Mowing was done by a team of mowers who started at the edge of the meadow early in the morning when the grass was wet. As the sun rose in the sky, the day got warmer and the wet cut grass dried. It was then gathered up and stored to feed the animals over winter.
Bill and his Dad spent the morning sharpening the the 12 scythes until they were as sharp as razor blades.
“Thanks so much, Bill, we’ve got the scythes all sharpened.”
“I enjoyed it, Dad,” said Bill wiping the sweat off his forehead.“But where do we get money to hire labourers to help us mow?” asked Bill.
His mother, Mary, called out, “John, I’ve got good news for you!”
They walked to her and she said, “Old Jake’s friend, Ivor, called by to see how he was. Old Jake was so glad to see him. I told Ivor about our worries and he borrowed your bike, Bill. He said he’d find us some labourers among his friends.”
“But we can’t pay him or hisfriends,” Farmer John said.
“He said because you helped Old Jake, they’ll all help you. So I told him we could make a tasty meal for all the workers and he said, that would be really OK,” Mary smiled.
“Look Dad,” Bill said, pointing down the road. They saw Ivor riding back on the bike followed by a crowd of tramps - all eager to help mow the grass.
“Thank you, thank you all,” called out Farmer John.
They all worked hard all day, for free, saying, “You helped Old Jake,now we can help you, John.”
Mary made them a very tasty meal and when they’d finished, she said,“I’ve written a song about you all. I’ll sing it for you.”
One man went to mow,
went to mow a meadow
one man and his dog
went to mow a meadow
Two men went to mow,
went to mow a meadow
two men, one man and his dog
went to mow a meadow
Three men went to mow,
went to mow a meadow
three men, two men,one man and his dog
went to mow a meadow
Four men went to mow,
went to mow a meadowf
our men, three men, two men,one man and his dog
went to mow a meadow
Five men went to mow,
went to mow a meadow
five men,four men, three men, two men,one man and his dog
went to mow a meadow
Six men went to mow,
went to mow a meadow
six men, five men, four men,three men, two men,one man and his dog
went to mow a meadow
Seven men went to mow,
went to mow a meadow
seven men, six men,five men, four men,three men,
two men,one man and his dog
went to mow a meadow
Eight men went to mow,
went to mow a meadow
eight men, seven men,six men, five men, four men,three men,
two men,one man and his dog
went to mow a meadow
Nine men went to mow,
went to mow a meadow
nine men, eight men, seven men,six men, five men,
four men,three men, two men,one man and his dog
went to mow a meadow
Ten men went to mow,
went to mow a meadow
ten men, nine men, eight men,seven men, six men,
five men,four men, three men, two men,one man and his dog
went to mow a meadow
………………………………………………………………………………………
After Mary sang the song, everyone sang it again.The workers laughed until tears rolled down their cheeks.
Farmer John said, “Thank you. You'll always find work here when you come by.”
The men all smiled and said thank you for the meal. Then, still singing the song,they walked back to their camp sites.
_______________________________
The rhyme is set to music. You can find it on You tube.… or….make up your own.
______________________________
His wife, Mary, put down her cup and said, “We made a wise choice buying that extra field – but then old Jake got sick and we had to pay for the doctor.”
Old Jake was one of the many “gentlemen of the road” – often called “tramps”. Tramps would trim hedges, clean up gardens of rubbish, help farmers with haymaking. When they were young, they enjoyed this care free life and tramped from farm to farm to look for work.
But Old Jake was old! He’d tramped for his work for years and years. Many farmers looked on Old Jake as a personal friend so when he got sick, his friends, Farmer John and his wife, Mary, looked after him. That’s where the money went, on doctor’s fees, instead of hiring more workers.
Bill said, “Dad, is there anything I can do to help?
“Thanks Bill. I’d like to sharpen the scythes so we’re ready to mow the meadow tomorrow. I still don’t know how we can pay for the labourers to help us, though.”
In those far off days, people didn’t use machinery to cut the grass: they used scythes. These were long poles with a three foot blade attached to them .They hold the poles close to their body and swing the blade to cut the grass.
Mowing was done by a team of mowers who started at the edge of the meadow early in the morning when the grass was wet. As the sun rose in the sky, the day got warmer and the wet cut grass dried. It was then gathered up and stored to feed the animals over winter.
Bill and his Dad spent the morning sharpening the the 12 scythes until they were as sharp as razor blades.
“Thanks so much, Bill, we’ve got the scythes all sharpened.”
“I enjoyed it, Dad,” said Bill wiping the sweat off his forehead.“But where do we get money to hire labourers to help us mow?” asked Bill.
His mother, Mary, called out, “John, I’ve got good news for you!”
They walked to her and she said, “Old Jake’s friend, Ivor, called by to see how he was. Old Jake was so glad to see him. I told Ivor about our worries and he borrowed your bike, Bill. He said he’d find us some labourers among his friends.”
“But we can’t pay him or hisfriends,” Farmer John said.
“He said because you helped Old Jake, they’ll all help you. So I told him we could make a tasty meal for all the workers and he said, that would be really OK,” Mary smiled.
“Look Dad,” Bill said, pointing down the road. They saw Ivor riding back on the bike followed by a crowd of tramps - all eager to help mow the grass.
“Thank you, thank you all,” called out Farmer John.
They all worked hard all day, for free, saying, “You helped Old Jake,now we can help you, John.”
Mary made them a very tasty meal and when they’d finished, she said,“I’ve written a song about you all. I’ll sing it for you.”
One man went to mow,
went to mow a meadow
one man and his dog
went to mow a meadow
Two men went to mow,
went to mow a meadow
two men, one man and his dog
went to mow a meadow
Three men went to mow,
went to mow a meadow
three men, two men,one man and his dog
went to mow a meadow
Four men went to mow,
went to mow a meadowf
our men, three men, two men,one man and his dog
went to mow a meadow
Five men went to mow,
went to mow a meadow
five men,four men, three men, two men,one man and his dog
went to mow a meadow
Six men went to mow,
went to mow a meadow
six men, five men, four men,three men, two men,one man and his dog
went to mow a meadow
Seven men went to mow,
went to mow a meadow
seven men, six men,five men, four men,three men,
two men,one man and his dog
went to mow a meadow
Eight men went to mow,
went to mow a meadow
eight men, seven men,six men, five men, four men,three men,
two men,one man and his dog
went to mow a meadow
Nine men went to mow,
went to mow a meadow
nine men, eight men, seven men,six men, five men,
four men,three men, two men,one man and his dog
went to mow a meadow
Ten men went to mow,
went to mow a meadow
ten men, nine men, eight men,seven men, six men,
five men,four men, three men, two men,one man and his dog
went to mow a meadow
………………………………………………………………………………………
After Mary sang the song, everyone sang it again.The workers laughed until tears rolled down their cheeks.
Farmer John said, “Thank you. You'll always find work here when you come by.”
The men all smiled and said thank you for the meal. Then, still singing the song,they walked back to their camp sites.
_______________________________
The rhyme is set to music. You can find it on You tube.… or….make up your own.
______________________________
The Cat and the Queen.
“There it is. I’ll catch it now,” said the little cat.Her tail twitched this way and that and her whiskers stood straight out.
The little mouse seemed to feel the little cat’s beady eyes and scurried towards the guard; under the guard’s legs and through the gate into the castle.
As quickly as she could,the little cat chased after the mouse.
“No you don’t,” growled the guard as he bent down to catch the little cat.He made a grab for her but she swerved to the left and the guard fell over.His helmet fell off and his sword rattled on the cobble stones.
“Oh well, let someone else in the castle catch the cat,” he grumbled, as he dusted himself off.
The little mouse raced along the long corridors;up the winding staircase;through many large roomsall full of paintings hanging on walls,and food on long tables.It heard the panting of the little cat chasing after it.Finally, the little mouse arrived at the very last and most important room.The Queen’s stately room.
There, in the middle of the room on a very high chair,sat her Majesty the Queen.She was surrounded by her ladies-in-waiting.
Sometimes the Queen had a bad temperand then everyone shook and quaked in their shoes.Other times,the Queen laughed and laughed at a joke and everyone laughed too.You’ve just had to be very careful how you acted when you were in the Queen’s presence in those far, far off days.
The little mouse scurried under the Queen’s chair.The cat rushed after it.Everyone looked scared.What would the Queen say? What would the Queen do?
Then the mouse ran out of the room.
But a strange thing happened.The little cat lay down under the Queen’s chair and purred happily.“What a pretty noise,” said the Queen, smiling.
Everyone smiled too and breathed a sigh of relief.The Queen was happy!
“Come here, little cat,” she said.
The Queen bent forward and picked the little cat up in her hands. Sheput the little cat on her lap; on the golden cloth that made up her beautiful gown.The little cat purred and purred,happily while the Queen stroked her.
Her majesty the Queen said out loud,“Little cat you’re welcome in my castle always,as long as you chase the mice away.”
The Queen laughed and everyone laughed.It was such a happy day.The court jester saw what was happening and made up a rhyme.This rhyme has been repeatedby children all down the ages.Do you know it?
___________________________
Pussycat, pussycat,where have you been?
I've been to London to visit the Queen.
Pussycat, pussycat,what did you there?
I frightened a little mouse under her chair.
____________________________________
The little mouse seemed to feel the little cat’s beady eyes and scurried towards the guard; under the guard’s legs and through the gate into the castle.
As quickly as she could,the little cat chased after the mouse.
“No you don’t,” growled the guard as he bent down to catch the little cat.He made a grab for her but she swerved to the left and the guard fell over.His helmet fell off and his sword rattled on the cobble stones.
“Oh well, let someone else in the castle catch the cat,” he grumbled, as he dusted himself off.
The little mouse raced along the long corridors;up the winding staircase;through many large roomsall full of paintings hanging on walls,and food on long tables.It heard the panting of the little cat chasing after it.Finally, the little mouse arrived at the very last and most important room.The Queen’s stately room.
There, in the middle of the room on a very high chair,sat her Majesty the Queen.She was surrounded by her ladies-in-waiting.
Sometimes the Queen had a bad temperand then everyone shook and quaked in their shoes.Other times,the Queen laughed and laughed at a joke and everyone laughed too.You’ve just had to be very careful how you acted when you were in the Queen’s presence in those far, far off days.
The little mouse scurried under the Queen’s chair.The cat rushed after it.Everyone looked scared.What would the Queen say? What would the Queen do?
Then the mouse ran out of the room.
But a strange thing happened.The little cat lay down under the Queen’s chair and purred happily.“What a pretty noise,” said the Queen, smiling.
Everyone smiled too and breathed a sigh of relief.The Queen was happy!
“Come here, little cat,” she said.
The Queen bent forward and picked the little cat up in her hands. Sheput the little cat on her lap; on the golden cloth that made up her beautiful gown.The little cat purred and purred,happily while the Queen stroked her.
Her majesty the Queen said out loud,“Little cat you’re welcome in my castle always,as long as you chase the mice away.”
The Queen laughed and everyone laughed.It was such a happy day.The court jester saw what was happening and made up a rhyme.This rhyme has been repeatedby children all down the ages.Do you know it?
___________________________
Pussycat, pussycat,where have you been?
I've been to London to visit the Queen.
Pussycat, pussycat,what did you there?
I frightened a little mouse under her chair.
____________________________________
The Reward is Gold.
Once upon a time there were three brothers.Two were tall and proud; one was small and nice to know.
The tall brothers always teased the small one, “You know nothing at all,” they said. "We'll be rich and you'll always be poor."
Their Grandma and Grandpa were upset when they heard these words. They said to each other, “We must do something about this.”
So they called the three brothers into their home and they all sat down in the living room.Grandma put a large bag of golden coins on the table and said, “We want to give this bag of gold to the cleverest of you three brothers! We’ve set you a problem and the one who solves it is the winner of this bag of gold coins!”
“What’s the problem we’ve got to answer?” they asked.
“Tell us how you would fill up our living room to the ceiling in 2 seconds!”
The brothers all went away and thought and thought and thought. The two tallest brothers said to each other, “It’s impossible! It’s impossible to fill up the whole room in 2 seconds.”
In the evening, when it was dark, they came to Grandma and Grandpa’s house with their answers. They all sat down in the dark living room.
One of the tall brothers said, “I’d hire 10 workers; buy a load of bricks; and we’d fill this room to the ceiling. But I’d need more time than 2 seconds to do that.”
The other tall brother said, “I’d hire 10 workers; buy a load of hay; and we’d fill this room to the ceiling. But I’d need more time than 2 seconds to do that.
"The small, nice brother pulled out a small paper bag from his pocket, saying. “Here’s my answer, Grandma and Grandpa."
The two tall brothers laughed and laughed until tears flowed down their faces. But Grandma and Grandpa didn’t laugh.They said, “Tell us what you’d do,”
The small, nice brother said, “I’ll do it right now, Grandma and Grandpa, and in one second.”
The tall brothers looked at him and laughed and laughed again.
The small, nice brother opened the paper bag; took out a candle and a box of matches. He placed the candle in the middle of the room and lit it. The dark room was suddenly filled with light! Every dark corner was filled with light. The whole room was light, bright and cheery!
Grandma and Grandpa clapped their hands, “Well done. Well done. The whole room is filled up to the ceiling with lovely bright light. Here’s your reward.”They gave him the bag of gold coins and smiled at him.
But the small, nice brother said, “Thank you Grandma and Grandpa. My reward is gold, yes, but the real gold is the gold of your smiles. I’ll carry your smiles with me the rest of my life. Please keep your gold coins.”
Grandma and Grandpa were so happy. They knew that he had made the wisest decision.
He walked home whistling a happy song remembering Grandma and Grandpa’s happy smiles. He’d never forget them.What a lesson the two tall brothers had learned that day.What do you think the lesson was?
__________________________________
This Little Light of Mine
This little light of mine,
I'm going to let it shine.
This little light of mine,
I'm going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Hide it under a bush,OH NO.
I'm going to let it shine.
Hide it under a bush, OH NO.
I'm going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
I won’t let anyone blow it out.
I'm going to let it shine.
I won’t let anyone blow it out.
I'm going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Take my happy light everywhere.I
'm going to let it shine.
Take my happy light everywhere.
I'm going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
I’ll take my light and be your friend.
I’m going to let it shine
I’ll take my light and be your friend.
I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
I’ll be a light and show I care for you.
I’m going to let it shine.
I’ll be a light and show I care for you.
I’m going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Shine my light in the saddest place.
I’m going to let it shine.
Shine my light in the saddest place.
I’m going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
This little light of mine,
I'm going to let it shine.
This little light of mine,
I'm going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
______________________________________________
A happy Smile is like Gold
This happy smile of mine,
I’m going to let it shine.
This little smile of mine,
I’m going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
I’ll be your friend when you are sad.
I’m going to let it shine.
I’ll be your friend when you are sad.
I’m going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
I’ll help you when you need a hand.
I’m going to let it shine.
I’ll help you when you need a hand.
I’m going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Let it smile and sing a song.
I’m going to let it shine.
Let it smile and sing a song.
I’m going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
I’ll always smile and say “thank you”.
I’m going to let it shine.
I’ll always smile and say “thank you”.
I’m going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
This happy smile of mine.
I’m going to let it shine.
This little smile of mine.
I’m going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
___________________________________
We wrote “A Happy Smile is like Gold,” the second song.We also added verses to the first song.
___________________________________
The tall brothers always teased the small one, “You know nothing at all,” they said. "We'll be rich and you'll always be poor."
Their Grandma and Grandpa were upset when they heard these words. They said to each other, “We must do something about this.”
So they called the three brothers into their home and they all sat down in the living room.Grandma put a large bag of golden coins on the table and said, “We want to give this bag of gold to the cleverest of you three brothers! We’ve set you a problem and the one who solves it is the winner of this bag of gold coins!”
“What’s the problem we’ve got to answer?” they asked.
“Tell us how you would fill up our living room to the ceiling in 2 seconds!”
The brothers all went away and thought and thought and thought. The two tallest brothers said to each other, “It’s impossible! It’s impossible to fill up the whole room in 2 seconds.”
In the evening, when it was dark, they came to Grandma and Grandpa’s house with their answers. They all sat down in the dark living room.
One of the tall brothers said, “I’d hire 10 workers; buy a load of bricks; and we’d fill this room to the ceiling. But I’d need more time than 2 seconds to do that.”
The other tall brother said, “I’d hire 10 workers; buy a load of hay; and we’d fill this room to the ceiling. But I’d need more time than 2 seconds to do that.
"The small, nice brother pulled out a small paper bag from his pocket, saying. “Here’s my answer, Grandma and Grandpa."
The two tall brothers laughed and laughed until tears flowed down their faces. But Grandma and Grandpa didn’t laugh.They said, “Tell us what you’d do,”
The small, nice brother said, “I’ll do it right now, Grandma and Grandpa, and in one second.”
The tall brothers looked at him and laughed and laughed again.
The small, nice brother opened the paper bag; took out a candle and a box of matches. He placed the candle in the middle of the room and lit it. The dark room was suddenly filled with light! Every dark corner was filled with light. The whole room was light, bright and cheery!
Grandma and Grandpa clapped their hands, “Well done. Well done. The whole room is filled up to the ceiling with lovely bright light. Here’s your reward.”They gave him the bag of gold coins and smiled at him.
But the small, nice brother said, “Thank you Grandma and Grandpa. My reward is gold, yes, but the real gold is the gold of your smiles. I’ll carry your smiles with me the rest of my life. Please keep your gold coins.”
Grandma and Grandpa were so happy. They knew that he had made the wisest decision.
He walked home whistling a happy song remembering Grandma and Grandpa’s happy smiles. He’d never forget them.What a lesson the two tall brothers had learned that day.What do you think the lesson was?
__________________________________
This Little Light of Mine
This little light of mine,
I'm going to let it shine.
This little light of mine,
I'm going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Hide it under a bush,OH NO.
I'm going to let it shine.
Hide it under a bush, OH NO.
I'm going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
I won’t let anyone blow it out.
I'm going to let it shine.
I won’t let anyone blow it out.
I'm going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Take my happy light everywhere.I
'm going to let it shine.
Take my happy light everywhere.
I'm going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
I’ll take my light and be your friend.
I’m going to let it shine
I’ll take my light and be your friend.
I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
I’ll be a light and show I care for you.
I’m going to let it shine.
I’ll be a light and show I care for you.
I’m going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Shine my light in the saddest place.
I’m going to let it shine.
Shine my light in the saddest place.
I’m going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
This little light of mine,
I'm going to let it shine.
This little light of mine,
I'm going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
______________________________________________
A happy Smile is like Gold
This happy smile of mine,
I’m going to let it shine.
This little smile of mine,
I’m going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
I’ll be your friend when you are sad.
I’m going to let it shine.
I’ll be your friend when you are sad.
I’m going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
I’ll help you when you need a hand.
I’m going to let it shine.
I’ll help you when you need a hand.
I’m going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Let it smile and sing a song.
I’m going to let it shine.
Let it smile and sing a song.
I’m going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
I’ll always smile and say “thank you”.
I’m going to let it shine.
I’ll always smile and say “thank you”.
I’m going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
This happy smile of mine.
I’m going to let it shine.
This little smile of mine.
I’m going to let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
___________________________________
We wrote “A Happy Smile is like Gold,” the second song.We also added verses to the first song.
___________________________________
Rhymes to make us smile.
Miranda was sick in bed. Her friend Joanie wanted to cheer her up but she wasn’t sure what to do. Finally she had a great idea.“Do you enjoy funny rhymes, Miranda?” she said.
“Well, yes I do when I feel well,” she replied.
“Let’s try and remember some of the old rhymes we learned,” Joanie said happily.
So the two girls said rhymes together and laughed at their mistakes.
After a while, Miranda said, “Joanie, I feel much happier now. It’s been so good to say these old rhymes again. Please come and see me again and bring me some more rhymes to say.”
Isn’t life funny! We can look out of our window and see a muddy field…then we look again and see a yellow weed growing in the mud and we feel happy to see it.
A famous Doctor,Viktor Frankl, felt so alone. He looked out onto the mud that surrounded the sad place where he was forced to live. Then a saw a lovely yellow weed growing in the middle of all the mud. “Come and see this lovely thing,” he called to his friends. They all looked at the lovely yellow weed and felt so much better.
Here are a few rhymes that children have loved for over 200 years! We hope you enjoy them, too. They can cheer us up on those "sad" days.
_________________________________________
Ride a big horse to Banbury Cross
To see a fine lady upon a white horse
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes
She shall have music wherever she goes.
_________________________________
Baa, baa, black sheep,
Have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir,
Three bags full.
One for my master
One for my dame,
And one for the little boy
Who lives down the lane.
_________________________________
Little Jack Horner
Sat in the corner
Eating his Christmas pie,
He put in his thumb
And pulled out a plum
And said "What a good boy am I!"
___________________________
Jack Sprat could eat no fat.
His wife could eat no lean.
And so between them both, you see,
They licked the platter clean!
__________________________________
Old King Cole was a merry old soul
And a merry old soul was he;
He called for his pipe, and he called for his bowl
And he called for his fiddlers three.
Every fiddler had a fiddle,
And a very fine fiddle had he;
Oh there's none so rare, as can compare
With King Cole and his fiddlers three.
___________________________________
Peter Piper
Picked a peck of pickled peppers;
A peck of pickled peppers
Peter Piper picked;
If Peter Piper picked
A peck of pickled peppers,
Where's the peck of pickled peppers
Peter Piper picked?
_________________________________
“Well, yes I do when I feel well,” she replied.
“Let’s try and remember some of the old rhymes we learned,” Joanie said happily.
So the two girls said rhymes together and laughed at their mistakes.
After a while, Miranda said, “Joanie, I feel much happier now. It’s been so good to say these old rhymes again. Please come and see me again and bring me some more rhymes to say.”
Isn’t life funny! We can look out of our window and see a muddy field…then we look again and see a yellow weed growing in the mud and we feel happy to see it.
A famous Doctor,Viktor Frankl, felt so alone. He looked out onto the mud that surrounded the sad place where he was forced to live. Then a saw a lovely yellow weed growing in the middle of all the mud. “Come and see this lovely thing,” he called to his friends. They all looked at the lovely yellow weed and felt so much better.
Here are a few rhymes that children have loved for over 200 years! We hope you enjoy them, too. They can cheer us up on those "sad" days.
_________________________________________
Ride a big horse to Banbury Cross
To see a fine lady upon a white horse
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes
She shall have music wherever she goes.
_________________________________
Baa, baa, black sheep,
Have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir,
Three bags full.
One for my master
One for my dame,
And one for the little boy
Who lives down the lane.
_________________________________
Little Jack Horner
Sat in the corner
Eating his Christmas pie,
He put in his thumb
And pulled out a plum
And said "What a good boy am I!"
___________________________
Jack Sprat could eat no fat.
His wife could eat no lean.
And so between them both, you see,
They licked the platter clean!
__________________________________
Old King Cole was a merry old soul
And a merry old soul was he;
He called for his pipe, and he called for his bowl
And he called for his fiddlers three.
Every fiddler had a fiddle,
And a very fine fiddle had he;
Oh there's none so rare, as can compare
With King Cole and his fiddlers three.
___________________________________
Peter Piper
Picked a peck of pickled peppers;
A peck of pickled peppers
Peter Piper picked;
If Peter Piper picked
A peck of pickled peppers,
Where's the peck of pickled peppers
Peter Piper picked?
_________________________________
In the mud.
Here comes the rain!” one of his servants called out.
The lord stopped his horse and looked over his shoulder, “Yes, the clouds are getting darker and darker. We must get to Gloucester before it hits us.”
The troop of 20 horses and riders picked up speed, but they were not to be so lucky! The rain hit them a mile or so outside the city. It soaked hats, cloaks, clothes, everything. It fell in torrents making the road muddy and slippery.
“Of course, we’ve got to be at the very end of the troop,” complained young Thomas to his sister Edith. They were distant relatives of the lord but not too important relatives and not too wealthy!
“Be careful Thomas, it’s getting too slippery. Maybe you should slow down,” Edith cautioned.
The rain that fell outside the city of Gloucester also fell in the city itself. The usually dusty roads turned wet; the wet roads turned to pools of water; the pools turned to mud; and the mud became deeper and deeper.
People slipped, slithered, and fell over. What a day! What a muddy day!“Look here’s a lord coming with his troop of servants,” cried a ragged little girl.“Maybe he’ll give us some money,” said her mother who was holding her baby wrapped around in a clean but ever so ragged shawl.
“All lords do that,” said an old man, leaning on his staff. “They care for us. All we have to do is wait for this lord to come by and say, “Please, kind sir, alms for the poor. Please kind sir, alms for the poor. Please kind sir, alms for the poor.”
What they didn’t know was this lord was definitely not a kind man. He should have been. He was very wealthy, spoke and wrote Latin, had every advantage that life could offer but he was not kind!
His servants were scared of him and made sure they did nothing to make him angry with them. “Watch what you say and do,” they said to each other, “or he’ll get you!!”
The lord and his servants were soaked, totally soaked, by the rain. It dripped off their hats and down their collars, making them shiver with cold. They were not happy. The lord was not happy. In fact he was angry and cold and irritable and looking for a fight with anyone who got in his way!
Poor ragged people; mothers and babies in rags; little children in rags; out of work grown ups in rags; old women and old men in rags all needing food, medicine, extra clothes; anything to make their harsh lives a tiny bit better all had great hope in their hearts.
They waited for the “kind, caring, helpful” lord to ride by.They all cried out:“Please kind sir, alms for the poor. Please kind sir, alms for the poor.Please kind sir, alms for the poor.”
But the “kind lord” looked down his nose at them.“No money for the poor,” he said, and his word had to be obeyed…or else!
One after the other, his servants rode their horses by. No one dared give any money to help the poor and needy. Their hands were raised in hope of some little coins. Then one by one their hands dropped; their smiles dropped; their hearts dropped.
Some of the lord’s servants looked very sad, but they were too scared to give any money to the poor ragged boys and girls; men and women.
Thomas and Edith, the lord’s distant relatives, were the last to ride by. By this time, the lord had ridden along another muddy street. Thomas and Edith quietly called to a man and woman who seemed to be leaders in the community of poor people.“We’re so sorry,” whispered Thomas and Edith.
“Here, please take this money and share it out. “Oh, we’re so very sorry!”
“Thank you kind master and mistress,” the man and woman said. “We’ll always remember you and if you are ever in trouble come to Gloucester, we’ll hide you. We’ll make you invisible in our rags so no one will know you.”
“Thank you - good friends,” said Edith and Thomas.Then they rode on, following the lord and his servants, into the next street.What a sight!Problems galore.Horses and ridersStuck, stuck, stuckIn the deep, deep mud!And in the middle of all this was the lord himself. His horse had fallen into a muddy hole right up to its waste!
“Good people,” begged the lord, “please help us.” But no one moved!
Thomas and Edith got off their horses and walked through the thick mud to the crowd of ragged people.“Please, of your kindness, help him,” they begged.
The man and women they’d given the money to in the other street, came forward. They whispered, “Not for his sake,” pointing at the lord, “but for their sake.”
The people gathered old planks and bits of wood and put them under the lord’s horse. They pushed the horse and pulled the horse until it scrambled free of the iron-fist hold of the mud.
Once he was free from the mud he growled, It's your duty to help me,” shouted the rich lord, “No money for you!”
His men got back on their horses helped by the ragged people. One by one they pressed money, quietly, into the hands of their helpers. “Please don’t say anything,” they said, “or we’ll be in trouble!!”
Then the lord, covered from head to toe in mud, rode out of Gloucester saying, “I’ll never come back here again.”
That evening, the ragged people all met together after a good meal. One of them was a poet and he made up a rhyme: a secret rhyme that only they would understand. He called the “kind” lord, “Dr. Foster,” so the lord wouldn’t know they were making fun of him.
Oh yes, years later, when Edith and Thomas had to escape from the “kind” lord – they were taken in and helped by the ragged people of Gloucester who dressed them in rags so they became ‘invisible’ and smuggled them on board ship to safety, overseas.
Here’s the rhyme the people would sing out. Sing out with peals of laughter as they remembered the “kind” lord up to his stomach in the mud.
Doctor Foster
Went to Gloucester
In a shower of rain.
He stepped in a puddle
Right up to his middle
And never went there again!
_________________________________
The lord stopped his horse and looked over his shoulder, “Yes, the clouds are getting darker and darker. We must get to Gloucester before it hits us.”
The troop of 20 horses and riders picked up speed, but they were not to be so lucky! The rain hit them a mile or so outside the city. It soaked hats, cloaks, clothes, everything. It fell in torrents making the road muddy and slippery.
“Of course, we’ve got to be at the very end of the troop,” complained young Thomas to his sister Edith. They were distant relatives of the lord but not too important relatives and not too wealthy!
“Be careful Thomas, it’s getting too slippery. Maybe you should slow down,” Edith cautioned.
The rain that fell outside the city of Gloucester also fell in the city itself. The usually dusty roads turned wet; the wet roads turned to pools of water; the pools turned to mud; and the mud became deeper and deeper.
People slipped, slithered, and fell over. What a day! What a muddy day!“Look here’s a lord coming with his troop of servants,” cried a ragged little girl.“Maybe he’ll give us some money,” said her mother who was holding her baby wrapped around in a clean but ever so ragged shawl.
“All lords do that,” said an old man, leaning on his staff. “They care for us. All we have to do is wait for this lord to come by and say, “Please, kind sir, alms for the poor. Please kind sir, alms for the poor. Please kind sir, alms for the poor.”
What they didn’t know was this lord was definitely not a kind man. He should have been. He was very wealthy, spoke and wrote Latin, had every advantage that life could offer but he was not kind!
His servants were scared of him and made sure they did nothing to make him angry with them. “Watch what you say and do,” they said to each other, “or he’ll get you!!”
The lord and his servants were soaked, totally soaked, by the rain. It dripped off their hats and down their collars, making them shiver with cold. They were not happy. The lord was not happy. In fact he was angry and cold and irritable and looking for a fight with anyone who got in his way!
Poor ragged people; mothers and babies in rags; little children in rags; out of work grown ups in rags; old women and old men in rags all needing food, medicine, extra clothes; anything to make their harsh lives a tiny bit better all had great hope in their hearts.
They waited for the “kind, caring, helpful” lord to ride by.They all cried out:“Please kind sir, alms for the poor. Please kind sir, alms for the poor.Please kind sir, alms for the poor.”
But the “kind lord” looked down his nose at them.“No money for the poor,” he said, and his word had to be obeyed…or else!
One after the other, his servants rode their horses by. No one dared give any money to help the poor and needy. Their hands were raised in hope of some little coins. Then one by one their hands dropped; their smiles dropped; their hearts dropped.
Some of the lord’s servants looked very sad, but they were too scared to give any money to the poor ragged boys and girls; men and women.
Thomas and Edith, the lord’s distant relatives, were the last to ride by. By this time, the lord had ridden along another muddy street. Thomas and Edith quietly called to a man and woman who seemed to be leaders in the community of poor people.“We’re so sorry,” whispered Thomas and Edith.
“Here, please take this money and share it out. “Oh, we’re so very sorry!”
“Thank you kind master and mistress,” the man and woman said. “We’ll always remember you and if you are ever in trouble come to Gloucester, we’ll hide you. We’ll make you invisible in our rags so no one will know you.”
“Thank you - good friends,” said Edith and Thomas.Then they rode on, following the lord and his servants, into the next street.What a sight!Problems galore.Horses and ridersStuck, stuck, stuckIn the deep, deep mud!And in the middle of all this was the lord himself. His horse had fallen into a muddy hole right up to its waste!
“Good people,” begged the lord, “please help us.” But no one moved!
Thomas and Edith got off their horses and walked through the thick mud to the crowd of ragged people.“Please, of your kindness, help him,” they begged.
The man and women they’d given the money to in the other street, came forward. They whispered, “Not for his sake,” pointing at the lord, “but for their sake.”
The people gathered old planks and bits of wood and put them under the lord’s horse. They pushed the horse and pulled the horse until it scrambled free of the iron-fist hold of the mud.
Once he was free from the mud he growled, It's your duty to help me,” shouted the rich lord, “No money for you!”
His men got back on their horses helped by the ragged people. One by one they pressed money, quietly, into the hands of their helpers. “Please don’t say anything,” they said, “or we’ll be in trouble!!”
Then the lord, covered from head to toe in mud, rode out of Gloucester saying, “I’ll never come back here again.”
That evening, the ragged people all met together after a good meal. One of them was a poet and he made up a rhyme: a secret rhyme that only they would understand. He called the “kind” lord, “Dr. Foster,” so the lord wouldn’t know they were making fun of him.
Oh yes, years later, when Edith and Thomas had to escape from the “kind” lord – they were taken in and helped by the ragged people of Gloucester who dressed them in rags so they became ‘invisible’ and smuggled them on board ship to safety, overseas.
Here’s the rhyme the people would sing out. Sing out with peals of laughter as they remembered the “kind” lord up to his stomach in the mud.
Doctor Foster
Went to Gloucester
In a shower of rain.
He stepped in a puddle
Right up to his middle
And never went there again!
_________________________________
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