Granny Evergreen

 This story for this week was the tale of Granny Evergreen, a German story which I feel in love with during my Summer course at Sunbridge..

Next weeks story will be centered around St. Michael and the dragon, but I plan on retelling Granny Evergreen the week after as well...it's a beautiful story worth retelling a few extra times. The lesson behind the story is one that anyone could appreciate, especially the little ones...
Once upon a time, in a forest not far from here, lived a mother and her 2 children.
The mother was quite ill and her children did their best to care for her.
One day, mother asked the children to go to the woods and gather some sweet berries for her.
The children went off through the woods until they reached a berry patch bursting with red berries..

They bent down and gathered as many berries as they could fit in their baskets.
Out of the forest clearing suddenly appeared an old woman, all dressed in green..
"Children, I am hungry and can not bend over to pick these berries. Might you give me some of yours?"
"Yes, Granny Evergreen.." for this was her name...

The children gave her all of the berries they had collected. 
"Oh, children, no need to give me all of your berries, I need but a few to satisfy my hunger.."
Before Granny Evergreen returned to the woods she gave each child a beautiful rose.
"Children, remember that you must not quarrel and become cross with each other. Let kindness guide  in all that you do.."
The children returned home with the flowers and berries for mother, who ate them and felt revived with energy.
That night, the children quarreled over some toys.."It is my toy!", one cried..
"No, mine!"
The children both went to sleep that night quite cross..
The next morning, the children awoke to find the flowers wilted...they both cried many, many tears..

These tears fell on the flowers, and they bloomed once again before their eyes. The children vowed to always remember the wisdom Granny Evergreen shared with them and each flower continued to bloom beautifully...

....More photos from our week....

 

 

Our new drinking glasses for playschool...small mason jars with each child's symbol adhered to the outside

 

W and his beloved friend, L enjoying some watercolor painting together...

 

Wet-on-wet watercolor painting will make an appearance in our playschool rhythm beginning the month of October...our last step is to create painting boards!

 

I am sitting here in our dining room listening to the needle like tapping of rain against our house. This weekend is going to be another soaker, and the timing couldn't be worse...it is the weekend of my most favorite festival in our town, The Celtic Classic...a weekend full of bagpipes, kilts, Irish food, highland games, and my favorite: The Showing of the Tartan Parade...all of this happening just blocks from our home. We may have to brave the elements with ponchos, but it's just not the same when the beautiful bagpiper uniforms are covered with tarp-like rain gear..

Celtic Classic, 2010

I'm hoping for sunshine...and a lovely weekend for you and yours:)