The Pine Tree .... part Five

The Pine Tree by Hans Christian Andersen
a story in Five parts ..... part Five

V. OUT OF DOORS AGAIN
"Now life begins again," thought the Tree. He felt the fresh air, the first sunbeam,—and now he was out in the courtyard. All passed so quickly that the Tree quite forgot to look to himself, there was so much going on around him. The court adjoined a garden, and all was in flower; the roses hung over the fence, so fresh and smelling so sweetly; the lindens were in blossom, the Swallows flew by, and said, "Quirre-virre-vit! my husband is come!" But it was not the Pine Tree that they meant.

"Now, I shall really live," said he with joy, and spread out his branches; dear! dear! they were all dry and yellow. It was in a corner among weeds and nettles that he lay. The golden star of tinsel was still on top of the Tree, and shone in the bright sunshine.

In the courtyard a few of the merry children were playing who had danced at Christmas round the Tree, and were so glad at the sight of him. One of the littlest ran and tore off the golden star.

"See what is still on the ugly old Christmas Tree!" said he, and he trampled on the branches, so that they cracked under his feet.

And the Tree saw all the beauty of the flowers, and the freshness in the garden; he saw himself, and he wished he had stayed in his dark corner in the attic: he thought of his fresh youth in the wood, of the merry Christmas Eve, and of the little Mice who had heard so gladly the story of Klumpy-Dumpy.

"Gone! gone!" said the poor Tree. "Had I but been happy when I could be. Gone! gone!"

And the gardener's boy came and chopped the Tree into small pieces; there was a whole heap lying there. The wood flamed up finely under the large brewing kettle, and it sighed so deeply! Each sigh was like a little shot. So the children ran to where it lay and sat down before the fire, and peeped in at the blaze, and shouted "Piff! paff!"

 But at every snap there was a deep sigh. The Tree was thinking of summer days in the wood, and of winter nights when the stars shone; it was thinking of Christmas Eve and Klumpy-Dumpy, the only fairy tale it had heard and knew how to tell,—and so the Tree burned out.

The boys played about in the court, and the youngest wore the gold star on his breast which the Tree had worn on the happiest evening of his life.

Now, that was gone, the Tree was gone, and gone too was the story.

All, all was gone, and that's the way with all stories.

 ******************the end**************************
Okay, I know it's not your usual happy ending but as the story says that's the way of stories and that is also the way of Christmas trees. They bring us joy and then they are gone but we have the memories and the story.
And we have more trees to make, so let's get to it!

I love this little tree ornament! It's quick and simple. Even little ones can do it and it works on fine motor skills (also in size comparison). The directions for this Scrap Ribbon Ornament can be found at Fireflies and Mud Pies .com

This tree is definitely different. It's an alternative Christmas tree. Basically, someone took a small limb with lots of branches; hung it upside down; and decorated it. I love it! There are so many possibilities BUT there are no directions. Sorry, just a pic.  I can think of lots of fun things to do with it. Paint the branches, make your own ornaments and garland, maybe a very small string of lights (battery powered) ...... the possibilities are endless!

Keeping with our stick theme, this next tree ornament uses craft sticks and is super simple to make. The Craft Stick Tree Ornament was found at Hands On As We Grow .com and has a great tutorial with lots of pics. Lovin' the use of the squeeze pouch cap for a star!

Ooops, almost forg0t our edible tree! This delicious looking Waffle Tree was found at Rutherford Family Happenings .blogspot .com Just add some green food coloring to your waffle batter then use fruit for your ornaments and a strip of bacon for the tree trunk.

The Pine Tree .....part Four

The Pine Tree by Hans Christian Andersen
a story in Five parts .... part Four

IV. IN THE ATTIC
"Now all the finery will begin again," thought the Pine. But they dragged him out of the room, and up the stairs into the attic; and here in a dark corner, where no daylight could enter, they left him.

"What's the meaning of this?" thought the Tree. "What am I to do here? What shall I see and hear now, I wonder?" And he leaned against the wall and stood and thought and thought. And plenty of time he had, for days and nights passed, and nobody came up; and when at last somebody did come, it was only to put some great trunks in the corner. There stood the Tree quite hidden; it seemed as if he had been entirely forgotten.

"'T is now winter out-of-doors!" thought the Tree. "The earth is hard and covered with snow; men cannot plant me now; therefore I have been put up here under cover till spring! How thoughtful that is! How good men are, after all! If it were not so dark here, and so terribly lonely! Not even a hare. Out there it was so pleasant in the woods, when the snow was on the ground, and the hare leaped by; yes—even when he jumped over me; but I did not like it then. It is terribly lonely here!"

"Squeak! squeak!" said a little Mouse at the same moment, peeping out of his hole. And then another little one came. They snuffed about the Pine Tree, and rustled among the branches.

"It is dreadfully cold," said the little Mouse. "But for that, it would be delightful here, old Pine, wouldn't it!"

"I am by no means old," said the Pine Tree. "There are many a good deal older than I am."

"Where do you come from?" asked the Mice; "and what can you do?" They were so very curious.

"Tell us about the most beautiful spot on earth. Have you been there? Were you ever in the larder, where cheeses lie on the shelves, and hams hang from above; where one dances about on tallow candles; where one goes in lean and comes out fat?"

"I don't know that place," said the Tree. "But I know the wood where the sun shines, and where the little birds sing."

And then he told his story from his youth up; and the little Mice had never heard the like before; and they listened and said, "Well, to be sure! How much you have seen! How happy you must have been!"

"I!" said the Pine Tree, and he thought over what he had himself told. "Yes, really those were happy times." And then he told about Christmas Eve, when he was decked out with cakes and candles.

"Oh," said the little Mice, "how lucky you have been, old Pine Tree!"

"I am not at all old," said he. "I came from the wood this winter; I am in my prime, and am only rather short of my age."

"What delightful stories you know!" said the Mice: and the next night they came with four other little Mice, who were to hear what the Tree had to tell; and the more he told, the more plainly he remembered all himself; and he thought: "That was a merry time! But it can come! it can come! Klumpy-Dumpy fell down stairs, and yet he got a princess! Maybe I can get a princess too!" And all of a sudden he thought of a nice little Birch Tree growing out in the woods: to the Pine, that would be a really charming princess.

"Who is Klumpy-Dumpy?" asked the little Mice.

So then the Pine Tree told the whole fairy tale, for he could remember every single word of it; and the little Mice jumped for joy up to the very top of the Tree. Next night two more Mice came, and on Sunday two Rats, even; but they said the stories were not amusing, which vexed the little Mice, because they, too, now began to think them not so very amusing either.

"Do you know only that one story?" asked the Rats.

"Only that one!" answered the Tree. "I heard it on my happiest evening; but I did not then know how happy I was."

"It is a very stupid story! Don't you know one about bacon and tallow candles? Can't you tell any larder-stories?"

"No," said the Tree.

"Thank you, then," said the Rats; and they went home.

At last the little Mice stayed away also; and the Tree sighed: "After all, it was very pleasant when the sleek little Mice sat round me and heard what I told them. Now that too is over. But I will take good care to enjoy myself when I am brought out again."

But when was that to be? Why, it was one morning when there came a number of people and set to work in the loft. The trunks were moved, the tree was pulled out and thrown down; they knocked him upon the floor, but a man drew him at once toward the stairs, where the daylight shone.

 *************************tomorrow part five ************************************

Hmmm...apparently I'm on a recycling kick. Or it could be 'cause I have so much stuff around to recycle. Anyhoo, I love this tree idea because it uses something I always seem to have a lot of.... Toilet Paper Rolls! It's fairly simple to make with just paint, sequins, glue, yarn and of course a TP roll!  This TP Tube Spiral Christmas Tree Ornament was found at Spoonful .com 

 

And to continue the spirit of recycling, our next tree uses recycled cardboard boxes but its not your average tree. I love this DIY Christmas Tree Dollhouse found at MrPrintables .com It's a truly unique idea. I think I'd like to try it in more Christmasy colors but whatever colors you use, it's sure to be fabulous.

 

Today I'm giving you two edible trees. This first one is a kid (and adult) favorite. Rice Krispie Treat Christmas Trees. Not only are they fun and easy to make but I even found a video for you to follow. And they've added a little something extra to these trees by using mini Reese cups as the tree stand. Yum!

Holiday Rice Krispy Treats:  Christmas Trees

• 3 tablespoons  butter or margarine
• 1 package regular marshmallows or 4 cups mini marshmallows
• 1 teaspoon  green food coloring
• 6 cups  Rice Krispies® (don’t skimp!  The real ones do make a difference)
• Mini red M&Ms, red-hot candies or other candies for holly berries
• Rolo candies or mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups for tree trunks

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in food coloring.
2. Add RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.
3. Using 1/4-cup measuring cup coated with cooking spray portion cereal mixture. Using buttered hands each portion into a cone-shaped tree. Decorate with frosting and/or candies.
Best if served the same day.
recipe found here

Our second edible trees are M&M Christmas Trees that I found at Glitter Glue and Paint .com
They make great gifts as well as great decorations. These trees are pretty simple to assemble and you should be able to find everything you need at a Micheals or Joanns. The bottoms of the trees are decorated candle holders and the tops are actually frosting bags. Absolutely brilliant!

The Pine Tree ....part Three

The Pine Tree
by Hans Christian Andersen
a story in Five parts..... part Three








III. CHRISTMAS IN THE HOUSE
The candles were now lighted. What brightness! What splendor! The Tree trembled so in every bough that one of the tapers set fire to a green branch. It blazed up splendidly.

Now the Tree did not even dare to tremble. That was a fright! He was so afraid of losing something of all his finery, that he was quite confused amidst the glare and brightness; and now both folding-doors opened, and a troop of children rushed in as if they would tip the whole Tree over. The older folks came quietly behind; the little ones stood quite still, but only for a moment, then they shouted so that the whole place echoed their shouts, they danced round the Tree, and one present after another was pulled off.

"What are they about?" thought the Tree. "What is to happen now?" And the lights burned down to the very branches, and as they burned down they were put out one after the other, and then the children had leave to plunder the Tree.

Oh, they rushed upon it so that it cracked in all its limbs; if its tip-top with the gold star on it had not been fastened to the ceiling, it would have tumbled over.

The children danced about with their pretty toys; no one looked at the Tree except the old nurse, who peeped in among the branches; but it was only to see if there was a fig or an apple that had been forgotten.

"A story! a story!" cried the children, and they dragged a little fat man toward the Tree. He sat down under it, and said, "Now we are in the shade, and the Tree can hear very well too. But I shall tell only one story. Now which will you have: that about Ivedy-Avedy, or about Klumpy-Dumpy who tumbled downstairs, and came to the throne after all, and married the princess?"

"Ivedy-Avedy," cried some; "Klumpy-Dumpy," cried the others. There was such a bawling and screaming!—the Pine Tree alone was silent, and he thought to himself, "Am I not to bawl with the rest?—am I to do nothing whatever?"—for he was one of them, and he had done what he had to do.

And the man told about Klumpy-Dumpy who tumbled downstairs, and came to the throne after all, and married the princess. And the children clapped their hands, and cried out, "Go on, go on!" They wanted to hear about Ivedy-Avedy too, but the little man only told them about Klumpy-Dumpy. The Pine Tree stood quite still and thoughtful: the birds in the wood had never told anything like this.

 "Klumpy-Dumpy fell downstairs, and yet he married the princess! Yes, yes, that's the way of the world!" thought the Pine Tree, and he believed it all, because it was such a nice man who told the story.

"Well, well! who knows, perhaps I may fall downstairs, too, and so get a princess!" And he looked forward with joy to the next day when he should be decked out with lights and toys, fruits and tinsel.

"To-morrow I won't tremble!" thought the Pine Tree. "I will enjoy to the full all my splendor!

To-morrow I shall hear again the story of Klumpy-Dumpy, and perhaps that of Ivedy-Avedy too."

And the whole night the Tree stood still in deep thought.

In the morning the servant and the maid came in

 ******************** tomorrow part 4********************************

These wonderful Tissue Paper Trees were found at AliLillyBlog .com Blogger Ami has a wonderful tutorial with tons of pics.

This Paper Christmas Tree Craft (with free download!) is so cute and has lots of potential for kid creativity! The tutorial with pics can be found at TheBizyMommy .com Their tree was made with card stock but I can totally see using recycled cardboard from cereal boxes. And of course, the kids can use any designs they want. Lots of fun!!

This next tree activity is a like the previous tree. Unfortunately, there are no directions, just the picture but as you can see they made trees similar to the paper tree above (maybe a little smaller) and then attached them to a cord to make a Paper Tree Garland.

I promised an edible tree for each post and today's edible tree is really yummy although it does require adult help and cooking.  Holiday Tree Brownies are lots of fun to make. I found the recipe at Betty Crocker .com 

Ingredients

1 box (1 lb 2.4 oz) Betty Crocker® Original Supreme Premium brownie mix

Water, vegetable oil and egg called for on brownie mix box

2 or 3 drops green food color

2/3 cup Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting (from 16 oz container)

Betty Crocker® Decorating Decors red and green candy sprinkles or miniature candy-coated chocolate baking bits

Miniature candy canes (2 inch), unwrapped 

 

Directions

• 1 Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Line 9-inch square pan with foil so foil extends about 2 inches over sides of pan. Grease bottom only of foil with cooking spray or shortening.
• 2 Make and bake brownie mix as directed on box. Cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove brownie from pan by lifting foil; peel foil away. To cut brownie into triangles, cut into 3 rows. Cut each row into 5 triangles, see diagram. Save smaller pieces for snacking.
• 3 Stir food color into frosting. Spoon frosting into small resealable food-storage plastic bag; partially seal bag. Cut off tiny bottom corner of bag. Squeeze bag to pipe frosting over brownies. Sprinkle with decors.
• 4 Break off curved end of candy cane; insert straight piece into bottoms of triangles to make tree trunks
•  

 Ooops! One last tree craft! I wanted to add this one because its so similar to the last two tree (well, not the brownie tree). This Easy Cardboard Christmas Tree is another chance for you to recycle. You can use the heavier cardboard boxes but it will also work with lighter cardboard, like cereal boxes. This is also a great way to use up all those stickers hanging around the house. I found this craft at Minted. com

 

The Pine Tree ....part Two

The Pine Tree by Hans Christian Andersen
A story in Five parts.... part Two

II. CHRISTMAS IN THE WOODS
When Christmas came, quite young trees were cut down; trees which were not even so large or of the same age as this Pine Tree, who had no rest or peace, but always wanted to be off. These young trees, and they were always the finest looking, always kept their branches; they were laid on carts, and the horses drew them out of the wood.

"Where are they going to?" asked the Pine Tree. "They are not taller than I; there was one, indeed, that was much shorter;—and why do they keep all their branches? Where are they carrying them to?"

"We know! we know!" chirped the Sparrows. "We have peeped in at the windows down there in the town. We know where they are carrying them to. Oh, they are going to where it is as bright and splendid as you can think! We peeped through the windows, and saw them planted in the middle of the warm room, and dressed with the most splendid things,—with gilded apples, with gingerbread, with toys and many hundred lights!"

"And then?" asked the Pine Tree, and he trembled in every bough. "And then? What happens then?"

"We did not see anything more: it beat everything!"

"I wonder if I am to sparkle like that!" cried the Tree, rejoicing. "That is still better than to go over the sea! How I do suffer for very longing! Were Christmas but come! I am now tall, and stretch out like the others that were carried off last year! Oh, if I were already on the cart! I wish I were in the warm room with all the splendor and brightness. And then? Yes; then will come something better, something still grander, or why should they dress me out so? There must come something better, something still grander,—but what? Oh, how I long, how I suffer! I do not know myself what is the matter with me!"

"Rejoice in us!" said the Air and the Sunlight; "rejoice in thy fresh youth out here in the open air!"

But the Tree did not rejoice at all; he grew and grew; and he stood there in all his greenery; rich green was he winter and summer. People that saw him said, "That's a fine tree!" and toward Christmas he was the first that was cut down. The axe struck deep into the very pith; the Tree fell to the earth with a sigh: he felt a pang—it was like a swoon; he could not think of happiness, for he was sad at being parted from his home, from the place where he had sprung up. He well knew that he should never see his dear old comrades, the little bushes and flowers around him, any more; perhaps not even the birds! The setting off was not at all pleasant.

The Tree only came to himself when he was unloaded in a courtyard with other trees, and heard a man say, "That one is splendid! we don't want the others."

 Then two servants came in rich livery and carried the Pine Tree into a large and splendid room. Portraits were hanging on the walls, and near the white porcelain stove stood two large Chinese vases with lions on the covers. There, too, were large easy-chairs, silken sofas, large tables full of picture-books, and full of toys worth a hundred times a hundred dollars—at least so the children said.

And the Pine Tree was stuck upright in a cask filled with sand: but no one could see that it was a cask, for green cloth was hung all around it, and it stood on a gayly colored carpet.

Oh, how the Tree quivered! What was to happen? The servants, as well as the young ladies, dressed it.
 On one branch there hung little nets cut out of colored paper; each net was filled with sugar-plums; gilded apples and walnuts hung as though they grew tightly there, and more than a hundred little red, blue, and white tapers were stuck fast into the branches.

Dolls that looked for all the world like men—the Tree had never seen such things before—fluttered among the leaves, and at the very top a large star of gold tinsel was fixed.

It was really splendid—splendid beyond telling.

"This evening!" said they all; "how it will shine this evening!"

"Oh," thought the Tree, "if it were only evening! If the tapers were but lighted! And then I wonder what will happen! I wonder if the other trees from the forest will come to look at me! I wonder if the sparrows will beat against the window-panes! I wonder if I shall take root here, and stand dressed so winter and summer!"

Aye, aye, much he knew about the matter! but he had a real back-ache for sheer longing, and a back-ache with trees is the same thing as a head-ache with us.

 ******************* part 3 tomorrow****************************


I decided that we needed at least one edible tree per post. Today's yummy tree is a gumdrop tree. You can find them all over the web and at my favorite place Pinterest. This tutorial is from Bella Dia.

The next 5 trees all have one thing in common, well 2 if you count them being trees, they are all made with yarn! I love yarn! If you could see my stash, you would know I'm not exaggerating.

This Yarn Wrapped Tree Ornament is from Fantastic Fun and Learning and has a really good tutorial.

 I love these Pompom Yarn Trees from MomAdvice .com
The kids will have fun making the pompoms. I can definitely see these trees made of bright multicolored pompoms! The crafter used a hot glue gun which I generally  will not use with young children although you can get a low temp one or the adult can put on the glue.















These Yarn Trees from KiwiCrate .com are definitely for the child that likes to get messy. The yarn is soaked in glue and then wrapped around the styrofoam cone. The tutorial has plenty of pictures.

 I think I like these trees because they are so colorful!! I could see keeping them around the house after the holidays.  The crafter actually calls them Fanciful Scrappy Trees. I found them at Gingerbread Snowflakes .com (don't you just love that name?) They're made using one of my fave crafting solutions...Mod Podge! That stuff is wonderful and wonderous! Like most of these trees all the kids have to do is wrap the yarn around the form. This tutorial has lots of pics.

I added this last tree because it looked more traditional and because I thought the little felt ball ornaments were a nice touch. I found these trees at A Million Little Things .com  The crafter uses hot glue to secure the yarn and adds a nice little wood cut star at the top. Unfortunately, there are not pictures of the process.

The Pine Tree ....part One

The Pine Tree by Hans Christian Andersen
a story in Five parts.......part One

I. WHEN IT WAS LITTLE
Out in the woods stood such a nice little Pine Tree: he had a good place; the sun could get at him; there was fresh air enough; and round him grew many big comrades, both pines and firs.

But the little Pine wanted so very much to be a grown-up tree.

He did not think of the warm sun and of the fresh air, he did not care for the little cottage-children who ran about and prattled when they were looking for wild strawberries and raspberries. Often they came with a whole jug full, or had their strawberries strung on a straw, and sat down near the little Tree and said, "Oh, what a nice little fellow!" This was what the Tree could not bear to hear.

The year after he had shot up a good deal, and the next year after he was still bigger; for with pine trees one can always tell by the shoots how many years old they are.

"Oh, were I but such a big tree as the others are," sighed the little Tree. "Then I could spread my branches so far, and with the tops look out into the wide world! Birds would build nests among my branches; and when there was a breeze, I could nod as grandly as the others there."

He had no delight at all in the sunshine, or in the birds, or the red clouds which morning and evening sailed above him.

When now it was winter and the snow all around lay glittering white, a hare would often come leaping along, and jump right over the little Tree. Oh, that made him so angry! But two winters went by, and with the third the Tree was so big that the hare had to go round it. "Oh, to grow, to grow, to become big and old, and be tall," thought the Tree: "that, after all, is the most delightful thing in the world!"

In autumn the wood-cutters always came and felled some of the largest trees. This happened every year, and the young Pine Tree, that was now quite well grown, trembled at the sight; for the great stately trees fell to the earth with noise and cracking, the branches were lopped off, and the trees looked quite bare, they were so long and thin; you would hardly know them for trees, and then they were laid on carts, and horses dragged them out of the wood.

Where did they go to? What became of them?

In spring, when the Swallow and the Stork came, the Tree asked them, "Don't you know where they have been taken? Have you not met them anywhere?"

The Swallow did not know anything about it; but the Stork looked doubtful, nodded his head, and said, "Yes; I have it; I met many new ships as I was flying from Egypt; on the ships were splendid masts, and I dare say it was they that smelt so of pine. I wish you joy, for they lifted themselves on high in fine style!"

"Oh, were I but old enough to fly across the sea! How does the sea really look? and what is it like?"

"Aye, that takes a long time to tell," said the Stork, and away he went.

"Rejoice in thy youth!" said the Sunbeams, "rejoice in thy hearty growth, and in the young life that is in thee!"

And the Wind kissed the Tree, and the Dew wept tears over him, but the Pine Tree understood it not.

*******part 2 tomorrow********

I plan to put up a part of this story each day followed by a different holiday/Christmas tree craft. There are soooo many crafts that I'm sure I'll run out of story first!

This simple Fingerprint Christmas Tree can be done by the youngest child. I found the idea at SassyDealz













Using a Pine Cone as a tree is a very popular idea. I like all of the different decorations (painted snow tips, beads, stars etc) but I think my favorite is this very colorful one I found at KiwiCrate .com that uses pompoms found at the dollar store for ornaments.

Kids will love making this edible Christmas Tree made out of a waffle cone, frosting and candy. I found this craft at Make Life Delicious.

The Small-Tooth Dog....a folktale from England

Once upon a time there was a merchant who traveled about the world a great deal.
On one of his journeys thieves attacked him, and they would have taken both his life and his money if a large dog had not come to his rescue and driven the thieves away.

When the dog had driven the thieves away he took the merchant to his house, which was a very handsome one, and dressed his wounds and nursed him till he was well.
As soon as he was able to travel the merchant began his journey home, but before starting he told the dog how grateful he was for his kindness, and asked him what reward he could offer in return, and he said he would not refuse to give the most precious thing he had.

And so the merchant said to the dog, "Will you accept a fish I have that can speak twelve languages?"

"No," said the dog, "I will not."

"Or a goose that lays golden eggs?"

"No," said the dog, "I will not."

"Or a mirror in which you can see what anybody is thinking about?"

"No," said the dog, "I will not."

"Then what will you have?" said the merchant.

"I will have none of such presents," said the dog; "but let me fetch your daughter, and bring her to my house."

When the merchant heard this he was grieved, but what he had promised had to be done, so he said to the dog, "You can come and fetch my daughter after I have been home for a week."

So at the end of the week, the dog came to the merchant's house to fetch his daughter, but when he got there he stayed outside the door, and would not go in. But the merchant's daughter did as her father told her, and came out of the house dressed for a journey and ready to go with the dog.

When the dog saw her he looked pleased, and said, "Jump on my back, and I will take you away to my house."

So she mounted on the dog's back, and away they went at a great pace, until they reached the dog's house, which was many miles off. But after she had been a month at the dog's house she began to mope and cry.

"What are you crying for?" said the dog.

"Because I want to go back to my father," she said.

The dog said, "If you will promise me that you will not stay there more than three days I will take you there. But first of all," said he, "what do you call me?"

"A great, foul, small-tooth dog," said she.

"Then," said he, "I will not let you go."

But she cried so pitifully that he promised again to take her home.
"But before we start," he said, "tell me what you call me."

"Oh," she said, "your name is Sweet-as-a-Honeycomb."

"Jump on my back," said he, "and I'll take you home."

So he trotted away with her on his back for forty miles, when they came to a stile.
"And what do you call me?" said he, before they got over the stile. Thinking she was safe on her way, the girl said, "A great, foul, small-tooth dog."

But when she said this, he did not jump over the stile, but turned right round again at once, and galloped back to his own house with the girl on his back.

Another week went by, and again the girl wept so bitterly that the dog promised to take her to her father's house. So the girl got on the dog's back again, and they reached the first stile, as before, and the dog stopped and said, "And what do you call me?"

"Sweet-as-a-Honeycomb," she replied.

So the dog leaped over the stile, and they went on for twenty miles until they came to another stile.
"And what do you call me?" said the dog with a wag of his tail.

She was thinking more of her father and her own house than of the dog, so she answered, "A great, foul, small-tooth dog."

Then the dog was in a great rage, and he turned right round about, and galloped back to his own house as before.
After she had cried for another week, the dog promised again to take her back to her father's house. So she mounted upon his back once more, and when they got to the first stile, the dog said, "And what do you call me?"

"Sweet-as-a-Honeycomb," she said.

So the dog jumped over the stile, and away they went -- for now the girl made up her mind to say the most loving things she could think of -- until they reached her father's house.
When they got to the door of the merchant's house, the dog said, "And what do you call me?"


Just at that moment the girl forgot the loving things she meant to say and began, "A great --," but the dog began to turn, and she got fast hold of the door latch, and was going to say "foul," when she saw how grieved the dog looked and remembered how good and patient he had been with her, so she said, "Sweeter-than-a-Honeycomb."

When she had said this she thought the dog would have been content and have galloped away, but instead of that he suddenly stood upon his hind legs, and with his forelegs he pulled off his dog's head and tossed it high in the air.
His hairy coat dropped off, and there stood the handsomest young man in the world, with the finest and smallest teeth you ever saw.

Of course they were married, and lived together happily.

---

  This story can be found in  Household Tales and Other Traditional Remains: Collected in the Counties of York, Lincoln, Derby, and Nottingham written by Sidney Oldall Addy printed in 1895


***Small-Toothed Dog illustration found here

Honeycomb candy is an easy-to-make candy that has an interesting texture caused by carbon dioxide bubbles getting trapped within the candy. The carbon dioxide is produced when baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is added to hot syrup. It is the same process used to make some baked goods rise, except here the bubbles are trapped to form a crisp candy. The holes in the candy make it light and give it a honeycomb appearance.
(information and recipe found at http://chemistry.about.com/od/foodscienceprojects/a/honeycombcandy.htm)

Honeycomb Candy Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Honeycomb Candy Instructions

1. Grease a cookie sheet. You can use oil, butter, or non-stick cooking spray.
2. Add the sugar, honey, and water to a saucepan. You can stir the mixture, but it isn't necessary.
3. Cook the ingredients over high heat, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 300°F. The sugar will melt, small bubbles will form, the bubbles will become larger, then the sugar will start to carmelize to an amber color.
4. When the temperature reaches 300°F, remove the pan from heat and whisk the baking soda into the hot syrup. This will cause the syrup to foam up.
5. Stir just enough to mix the ingredients, then dump the mixture onto the greased baking sheet. Don't spread out the candy, as this would pop your bubbles.
6. Allow the candy to cool, then break or cut it into pieces.
7. Store the honeycomb candy in an airtight container.

Great step by step pictures can be found at http://swirlandscramble.blogspot.com/2008/10/honeycomb-candy.html



 How to make a Honeycomb Wax Candle


How to cut Honeycomb Beeswax sheets for Candlemaking

The Bremen Town Musicians.... a tale from Germany

Bremen Town Musicians block cut by Walter Crane

A man had a donkey, who for long years had untiringly carried sacks to the mill, but whose strength was now failing, so that he was becoming less and less able to work. Then his master thought that he would no longer feed him, but the donkey noticed that it was not a good wind that was blowing and ran away, setting forth on the road to Bremen, where he thought he could become a town musician. When he had gone a little way he found a hunting dog lying in the road, who was panting like one who had run himself tired.

"Why are you panting so, Grab-Hold?" asked the donkey.

"Oh," said the dog, "because I am old and am getting weaker every day and can no longer go hunting, my master wanted to kill me, so I ran off; but now how should I earn my bread?"

"Do you know what," said the donkey, "I am going to Bremen and am going to become a town musician there. Come along and take up music too. I'll play the lute, and you can beat the drums."

The dog was satisfied with that, and they went further. It didn't take long, before they came to a cat sitting by the side of the road and making a face like three days of rainy weather. "What has crossed you, old Beard-Licker?" said the donkey.

"Oh," answered the cat, "who can be cheerful when his neck is at risk? I am getting on in years, and my teeth are getting dull, so I would rather sit behind the stove and purr than to chase around after mice. Therefore my mistress wanted to drown me, but I took off. Now good advice is scarce. Where should I go?"

"Come with us to Bremen. After all, you understand night music. You can become a town musician there." The cat agreed and went along.

Then the three refugees came to a farmyard, and the rooster of the house was sitting on the gate crying with all his might.

"Your cries pierce one's marrow and bone," said the donkey. "What are you up to?"

"I just prophesied good weather," said the rooster, "because it is Our Dear Lady's Day, when she washes the Christ Child's shirts and wants to dry them; but because Sunday guests are coming tomorrow, the lady of the house has no mercy and told the cook that she wants to eat me tomorrow in the soup, so I am supposed to let them cut off my head this evening. Now I am going to cry at the top of my voice as long as I can."

"Hey now, Red-Head," said the donkey, "instead come away with us. We're going to Bremen. You can always find something better than death. You have a good voice, and when we make music together, it will be very pleasing."

The rooster was happy with the proposal, and all four went off together. However, they could not reach the city of Bremen in one day, and in the evening they came into a forest, where they would spend the night. The donkey and the dog lay down under a big tree, but the cat and the rooster took to the branches. The rooster flew right to the top, where it was safest for him. Before falling asleep he looked around once again in all four directions, and he thought that he saw a little spark burning in the distance. He hollered to his companions, that there must be a house not too far away, for a light was shining.

The donkey said, "Then we must get up and go there, because the lodging here is poor." The dog said that he could do well with a few bones with a little meat on them. Thus they set forth toward the place where the light was, and they soon saw it glistening more brightly, and it became larger and larger, until they came to the front of a brightly lit robbers' house.

The donkey, the largest of them, approached the window and looked in.

"What do you see, Gray-Horse?" asked the rooster.

"What do I see?" answered the donkey. "A table set with good things to eat and drink, and robbers sitting there enjoying themselves."

"That would be something for us," said the rooster.

"Ee-ah, ee-ah, oh, if we were there!" said the donkey.

Then the animals discussed how they might drive the robbers away, and at last they came upon a plan. The donkey was to stand with his front feet on the window, the dog to jump on the donkey's back, the cat to climb onto the dog, and finally the rooster would fly up and sit on the cat's head. When they had done that, at a signal they began to make their music all together. The donkey brayed, the dog barked, the cat meowed and the rooster crowed. Then they crashed through the window into the room, shattering the panes.
The robbers jumped up at the terrible bellowing, thinking that a ghost was coming in, and fled in great fear out into the woods. Then the four companions seated themselves at the table and freely partook of the leftovers, eating as if they would get nothing more for four weeks.

When the four minstrels were finished, they put out the light and looked for a place to sleep, each according to his nature and his desire. The donkey lay down on the manure pile, the dog behind the door, the cat on the hearth next to the warm ashes, and the rooster sat on the beam of the roof. Because they were tired from their long journey, they soon fell asleep.

When midnight had passed and the robbers saw from the distance that the light was no longer burning in the house, and everything appeared to be quiet, the captain said, "We shouldn't have let ourselves be chased off," and he told one of them to go back and investigate the house. The one they sent found everything still, and went into the kitchen to strike a light. He mistook the cat's glowing, fiery eyes for live coals, and held a sulfur match next to them, so that it would catch fire. But the cat didn't think this was funny and jumped into his face, spitting, and scratching.

He was terribly frightened and ran toward the back door, but the dog, who was lying there, jumped up and bit him in the leg. When he ran across the yard past the manure pile, the donkey gave him a healthy blow with his hind foot, and the rooster, who had been awakened from his sleep by the noise and was now alert, cried down from the beam, "Cock-a-doodle-doo!"

Then the robber ran as fast as he could back to his captain and said, "Oh, there is a horrible witch sitting in the house, she blew at me and scratched my face with her long fingers. And there is a man with a knife standing in front of the door, and he stabbed me in the leg. And a black monster is lying in the yard, and it struck at me with a wooden club. And the judge is sitting up there on the roof, and he was calling out, 'Bring the rascal here.' Then I did what I could to get away."

From that time forth, the robbers did not dare go back into the house. However, the four Bremen Musicians liked it so well there, that they never left it again. And the person who just told that, his mouth is still warm.

---

story by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm in Children's and Household Tales -- Grimms' Fairy Tales published in 1857       online source for story is here


Become a Musician!
Making your own instruments can be fun and very simple. One of the easiest instruments to make is a kazoo.

A Kazoo is defined as

"a musical instrument with a membrane that produces a buzzing sound when a player hums or sings into the mouthpiece."

Wiki goes on to say:

The kazoo is a wind instrument which adds a "buzzing" timbral quality to a player's voice when the player vocalizes into it. The kazoo is a type of militron, which is a membranophone – a device which modifies the sound of a person's voice by way of a vibrating membrane.
"Kazoo" was the name given by Warren Herbert Frost to his invention in Patent #270,543 issued on January 9, 1883. In the text of the patent he refers to it as "This instrument or toy, to which I propose to give the name 'kazoo' ".

The simplest and fastest kazoo to make is a Comb Kazoo.

 You'll need:
*An ordinary old fashioned plastic comb ( small fine toothed pocket combs work best, you can get a bag full at a dollar story)
*Wax Paper
*Scissors

1) Cut a piece of wax paper that is slightly smaller than the length of the comb and twice the size of the combs height.
2)  Fold the wax paper in half length wise
3) Place the comb inside the folded paper with the teeth in the folded seam.


You're now ready to "play" your kazoo.
Hold the paper over the teeth of the comb and put the comb against your lips. 
Then, keeping your lips open a little, hum a tune into the comb. 
You'll need to experiment to see what gives you the best sound.


Here's the link to a youtube video, that for some reason I can't embed, that shows How to Make a Kazoo using a Toilet Paper Roll

 This link is to the Kazoologist where they give lots of scientific information on kazoos and militrons.
http://kazoologist.org/Experiments.html


Before leaving, I want you to remember the most important rule of kazoo playing:

The Rose and the Amaranth.....an Aesop fable

A Rose and an Amaranth blossomed side by side in a garden.

One day the Amaranth said to her neighbor,
"How I envy you your beauty and your sweet scent! No wonder you are such a universal favorite."

But the Rose replied with a shade of sadness in her voice,
"Ah, my dear friend, I bloom but for a time: my petals soon wither and fall, and then I die. But your flowers never fade, even if they are cut,for they are everlasting."

(This Aesop's Fable, written in the 6th century BC, compares the Rose to the Amaranth to illustrate the difference in fleeting and everlasting beauty).

FYI:

Amaranthus, collectively known as amaranth, is a cosmopolitan genus of herbs. Approximately 60 species are recognized,foliage ranging from purple and red to gold.
Although several species are often considered weeds, people around the world value amaranths as leaf vegetables, cereals, and ornamentals.
The word comes from the Greek amarantos (Αμάρανθος or Αμάραντος) the "one that does not wither," or the never-fading (flower).

info found at wiki



this site has a step by step tutorial for the rose above


A fun craft and good vid but the video cuts off. See the next vid.


This is the rest of the previous vid

Oats, Peas, Beans and Barley Grow

 "Can you or I or anyone know, how oats, peas, beans and barley grow?"

This month's story is actually an old folk song but like most songs it tells a story.


Oats, Peas, Beans and Barley Grow is a traditional British and American folk song.
It is a "play song" and the children perform the actions in the songs verses, basically acting out the planting and harvesting of a crop. The song can be found on many children's cd's, performed by artist such as Raffi and John Langstaff.





Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Can you or I or anyone know
How oats, peas, beans, and barley grow?


First the farmer sows his seed,
Stands erect and takes his ease,
He stamps his foot and claps his hands,
And turns around to view his lands.


Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Can you or I or anyone know
How oats, peas, beans, and barley grow?


Next the farmer waters the seed,
Stands erect and takes his ease,
He stamps his foot and claps his hands,
And turns around to view his lands.


Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Can you or I or anyone know
How oats, peas, beans, and barley grow?


Next the farmer hoes the weeds,
Stands erect and takes his ease,
He stamps his foot and claps his hands,
And turns around to view his lands.


Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Can you or I or anyone know
How oats, peas, beans, and barley grow?


Last the farmer harvests his seed,
Stands erect and takes his ease,
He stamps his foot and claps his hands,
And turns around to view his lands.


Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Can you or I or anyone know
How oats, peas, beans, and barley grow?

This video shows kids performing some of the movements in the song.




An excellent activity to accompany this song the ever popular growing a bean in a cup (or a clear bag or a test tube if you can find one).


Watch a Bean Grow
activity found at Kids Science Experiments

Materials you will need:

• Water
• Potting Soil/Compost
• A clear, plastic cup
• 3 Test Tubes
• 3 Beans (almost any kind of dry bean will do)

Steps:

1. Fill the cup with 2 inches of water
2. Drop the two beans in the cup of water
3. Leave the beans to soak overnight
4. The following day, drain/empty the water from cup and take the beans out of the cup
5. Fill the test tubes just over half way with the potting soil and place each bean inside the test tubes and fill the test tube with more soil
6. Place the test tubes in a well light and warm spot and be sure to water them every day.

Keep a close watch each day as you will be able to see how quickly the plants will grow (minute by minute).

If you do not have test tubes use clear plastic cups or a clear plastic container and plant the beans by the sides of the container so that you can watch the beans grow by looking through the clear container.

Did you know that plants need water to live? As well as absorbing water from the atmosphere (air) through their leaves, they suck water up through their stems.

***********************************

Another excellent set of directions can be found at 


http://www.ehow.com/how_2108951_science-experiment-child-bean-plants.html

Androcles and the Lion....an Aesop fable retold by Joseph Jacobs

Androcles and the Lion

It happened in the old days at Rome that a slave named Androcles escaped from his master and fled into the forest, and he wandered there for a long time until he was weary and well nigh spent with hunger and despair. Just then he heard a lion near him moaning and groaning and at times roaring terribly. Tired as he was Androcles rose up and rushed away, as he thought, from the lion; but as he made his way through the bushes he stumbled over the root of a tree and fell down lamed, and when he tried to get up there he saw the lion coming towards him, limping on three feet and holding his forepaw in front of him.
Poor Androcles was in despair; he had not strength to rise and run away, and there was the lion coming upon him. But when the great beast came up to him instead of attacking him it kept on moaning and groaning and looking at Androcles, who saw that the lion was holding out his right paw, which was covered with blood and much swollen. Looking more closely at it Androcles saw a great big thorn pressed into the paw, which was the cause of all the lion's trouble. Plucking up courage he seized hold of the thorn and drew it out of the lion's paw, who roared with pain when the thorn came out, but soon after found such relief from it that he fawned upon Androcles and showed, in every way that he knew, to whom he owed the relief. Instead of eating him up he brought him a young deer that he had slain, and Androcles managed to make a meal from it. For some time the lion continued to bring the game he had killed to Androcles, who became quite fond of the huge beast.
But one day a number of soldiers came marching through the forest and found Androcles, and as he could not explain what he was doing they took him prisoner and brought him back to the town from which he had fled. Here his master soon found him and brought him before the authorities, and he was condemned to death because he had fled from his master. Now it used to be the custom to throw murderers and other criminals to the lions in a huge circus, so that while the criminals were punished the public could enjoy the spectacle of a combat between them and the wild beasts.
So Androcles was condemned to be thrown to the lions, and on the appointed day he was led forth into the Arena and left there alone with only a spear to protect him from the lion. The Emperor was in the royal box that day and gave the signal for the lion to come out and attack Androcles. But when it came out of its cage and got near Androcles, what do you think it did? Instead of jumping upon him it fawned upon him and stroked him with its paw and made no attempt to do him any harm.
It was of course the lion which Androcles had met in the forest. The Emperor, surprised at seeing such a strange behavior in so cruel a beast, summoned Androcles to him and asked him how it happened that this particular lion had lost all its cruelty of disposition. So Androcles told the Emperor all that had happened to him and how the lion was showing its gratitude for his having relieved it of the thorn. Thereupon the Emperor pardoned Androcles and ordered his master to set him free, while the lion was taken back into the forest and let loose to enjoy liberty once more.

---

  story source - originally told by Aesop, this particular version was written by Joseph Jacobs in  Europa's Fairy Book published in  1916

 Make a Paper Mache Lion Mask
(directions found at TLC.howstuffworks.com )

What You'll Need:

• Newspaper
• Paper plate
• Scissors
• Stapler
• 2 paper egg-carton sections
• Masking Tape
• White glue
• Water
• Measuring cup
• Large mixing bowl
• Spoon
• Tempera paint
• Paintbrush
• ITEMS TO DECORATE THE MASK:  Beads, Sequins, Feathers, Ribbon scraps, Yarn, Fabric scraps, etc.

How to Make Lion Mask:
1.  Cover your work surface with newspaper.
2. Cut a slit in each side of the paper plate. Pull the edges of each slit together, and overlap them. Staple the edges together. This will bend the plate into a face shape.
3. Tape on the egg-carton sections for bulgy eyes.  If you want to wear the mask, then cut out eye holes instead of using the egg-carton sections.
4. Make a fist-size ball of newspaper, and tape it in place for the lion's snout.
5. Crumple up some newspaper, and put it under the mask so it will keep its form while you work.

©2007 Publications International, Ltd. Tape on newspaper for the snout.

6.  Tear 7 to 8 newspaper pages into strips.
7. Mix 1/2 cup white glue with 1/2 cup water in a large mixing bowl.
8. As you use them, put the newspaper strips in the glue/water mixture.
9. When you take the strips out of the mixture, run them between your fingers to remove the excess liquid.
10. Cover the mask front with a layer of newspaper strips.
11. Let the mask dry overnight.

©2007 Publications International, Ltd. Cover mask front with newspaper strips.

12.  Add a second layer of strips; smooth the strips over the mask with your fingers.
13. Let the mask dry overnight.
14.  Paint the mask with two coats of tempera paint. Let dry.
15.  Paint on the lion's mouth;
16. Decorate the mask with whatever you have around. You can use yarn, ribbon, crepe paper streamers etc for the lion's mane.
17. Tape a loop of ribbon to the back of the mask to hang it on your wall. If you plan to wear the mask, punch a small hole on each side of the mask and tie ribbon or string

Sweet-as-a-Honeycomb....a folktale from England

 (After you finish this story, ask the children what popular fairy tale it reminds them of.)

Once upon a time there was a merchant who traveled about the world a great deal. On one of his journeys thieves attacked him, and they would have taken both his life and his money if a large dog had not come to his rescue and driven the thieves away.

When the dog had driven the thieves away he took the merchant to his house, which was a very handsome one, and dressed his wounds and nursed him till he was well.

As soon as he was able to travel the merchant began his journey home, but before starting he told the dog how grateful he was for his kindness, and asked him what reward he could offer in return, and he said he would not refuse to give the most precious thing he had.

And so the merchant said to the dog, "Will you accept a fish I have that can speak twelve languages?"

"No," said the dog, "I will not."

"Or a goose that lays golden eggs?"

"No," said the dog, "I will not."

"Or a mirror in which you can see what anybody is thinking about?"

"No," said the dog, "I will not."

"Then what will you have?" said the merchant.

"I will have none of such presents," said the dog; "but let me fetch your daughter, and bring her to my house."

When the merchant heard this he was grieved, but what he had promised had to be done, so he said to the dog, "You can come and fetch my daughter after I have been home for a week."

So at the end of the week, the dog came to the merchant's house to fetch his daughter, but when he got there he stayed outside the door, and would not go in.
But the merchant's daughter did as her father told her, and came out of the house dressed for a journey and ready to go with the dog.
When the dog saw her he looked pleased, and said, "Jump on my back, and I will take you away to my house."
So she mounted on the dog's back, and away they went at a great pace, until they reached the dog's house, which was many miles off.

But after she had been a month at the dog's house she began to mope and cry.
"What are you crying for?" said the dog.

"Because I want to go back to my father," she said.

The dog said, "If you will promise me that you will not stay there more than three days I will take you there. But first of all," said he, "what do you call me?"

"A great, foul, small-tooth dog," said she.

"Then," said he, "I will not let you go."

But she cried so pitifully that he promised again to take her home.
"But before we start," he said, "tell me what you call me."

"Oh," she said, "your name is Sweet-as-a-Honeycomb."

"Jump on my back," said he, "and I'll take you home."

So he trotted away with her on his back for forty miles, when they came to a stile.
"And what do you call me?" said he, before they got over the stile.
Thinking she was safe on her way, the girl said, "A great, foul, small-tooth dog."

But when she said this, he did not jump over the stile, but turned right round again at once, and galloped back to his own house with the girl on his back.
Another week went by, and again the girl wept so bitterly that the dog promised to take her to her father's house.

So the girl got on the dog's back again, and they reached the first stile, as before, and the dog stopped and said, "And what do you call me?"

"Sweet-as-a-Honeycomb," she replied.

So the dog leaped over the stile, and they went on for twenty miles until they came to another stile.
"And what do you call me?" said the dog with a wag of his tail.

She was thinking more of her father and her own house than of the dog, so she answered, "A great, foul, small-tooth dog."

Then the dog was in a great rage, and he turned right round about, and galloped back to his own house as before.
After she had cried for another week, the dog promised again to take her back to her father's house. So she mounted upon his back once more, and when they got to the first stile, the dog said, "And what do you call me?"

"Sweet-as-a-Honeycomb," she said.

So the dog jumped over the stile, and away they went -- for now the girl made up her mind to say the most loving things she could think of -- until they reached her father's house.

When they got to the door of the merchant's house, the dog said, "And what do you call me?"

Just at that moment the girl forgot the loving things she meant to say and began, "A great --," but the dog began to turn, and she got fast hold of the door latch, and was going to say "foul," when she saw how grieved the dog looked and remembered how good and patient he had been with her, so she said, "Sweeter-than-a-Honeycomb."

When she had said this she thought the dog would have been content and have galloped away, but instead of that he suddenly stood upon his hind legs, and with his forelegs he pulled off his dog's head and tossed it high in the air. His hairy coat dropped off, and there stood the handsomest young man in the world, with the finest and smallest teeth you ever saw.

Of course they were married, and lived together happily.

---

(Story collected by Sidney Oldall Addy for Household Tales and Other Traditional Remains: Collected in the Counties of York, Lincoln, Derby and Nottingham published in 1895)

Did you recognize the story? Yep, it's very similar to the classic Beauty and the Beast.

I've found 2 and a half fun dog crafts for you. I say two and a half because the last craft is just a variation of the first craft. The first two crafts are very simple and suitable for children of all ages. The last craft requires more skill and patience.

 Directions on how to make a very simple Origami Dog

Great directions on how to make a poodle, a chihuahua and a dachshund from chenille stems and pompoms 

The dog made here is the same Origami Dog made in the first directions link.
 


For the older child and the more experienced Origamist (is that a word?), try making an Origami Dog out of a Dollar Bill.

The Last Darning Needle....an Oregon Folktale (retold by S.E. Schlosser) for Thread the Needle Day

Folks traveling the Oregon Trail looking for a new life left almost everything behind them when they made the 2000 mile journey in their covered wagons.  As the trail grew harder, the valleys steeper, the mountains more treacherous, they started abandoning furniture and luxuries of all sorts by the wayside to make it easier to move the wagons.  Many of their horses and cattle died on the trail.  And many lost family members to sickness or accident.

By the time the settlers reached Oregon, the few goods they had were precious indeed.  And so it was for the people who made their new home in Pass Creek Canyon.  The tiny settlement was so isolated that the villagers had no access to manufactured goods of any sort and had to make do with what they brought with them.  And so, it turned out, they were soon down to their very last darning needle.

Now darning needles, in those days, were used to sew clothing and darn socks and mend buttons that were torn off.  For a whole community to have only one darning needle was a major concern.  The settlers were very careful to keep the needle safe.  They passed it from family to family, and for two or three days at a time, the women in each family would sew and darn as quickly as they could before passing the needle on to the next household.

Then one day, little Jimmy Chitwood was assigned the task of carrying the needle to Grandmother Drain's cottage over the hillside.  To keep the darning needle safe, his mother threaded it with bright red wool knotted firmly through the eye of the needle.  Then she stuck it into a potato and gave the precious needle to her small son.

As the little boy walked along the trail, he heard a rustling in the bushes.  Ahead of him, a Mama bear and her two cubs ambled into view.  Alarmed, Jimmy ducked behind a serviceberry bush, hoping the Mama bear wouldn't notice him and attack.  He sat very still, trembling from head to toe, until all sounds of the bears had ceased.  Then he crept back out onto the trail, checked carefully in both directions, and continued toward Grandmother Drain's cabin.  And that's when he realized his hand was empty!  He'd lost the potato with the precious darning needle stuck into it.

Little Jimmy looked everywhere, but there were many serviceberry bushes, and he couldn't find the exact place where he'd left the trail.  Soon the whole village turned out to look for the potato with the darning needle stuck into it.  They combed the hillside for hours, and it was the despairing little Jimmy who finally caught a glimpse of red wool in the bracken and swooped inside to rescue the darning needle.

But all good things come to an end.  With so much heavy use and so much time spent stuck into the juice of the potato, the needle grew weak and it broke in Grandmother Drain's hand the day after it was found in the woods.  The whole village was upset by the loss, but no one blamed Grandmother Drain for breaking it.  It could have happened to any of them.  But all sewing and mending in the village ceased from that day, and clothing grew tattered, socks and stockings had gaping holes in them, and folks shook their heads, wondering what to do.

Little Jimmy Chitwood blamed himself bitterly for the loss of the darning needle.  If only he hadn't lost it.  If it hadn't been stuck so long in the potato, it might not have broken in Grandmother Drain's hand.  He fretted and fretted about the lost darning needle, and nothing his parents said could comfort him.

At that time, a young man in California decided he wanted a life of adventure.  He came north to Portland Oregon, set himself up with a mule and wagon full of goods, and started roaming the mountains and valleys, visiting villages and mining camps and farming communities.  It so happened that a month to the day after the breaking of the last darning needle, he wandered into Pass Creek Canyon with his peddler's wagon.

News of the peddler spread like wildfire through the community, and soon the young man was surrounded by families fingering his wares and talking excitedly.  The young man soon learned about the last darning needle from Mrs. Chitwood, and he watched little Jimmy stroking the horse's mane and pretending not to listen as he mother talked of losing the needle when the bear appeared, and finding it again, and then losing it again when it broke.

"Well, son," the young peddler said to Jimmy.  "Do you intend to give your family and friends Christmas gifts this year?"

Jimmy looked up from patting the mule, startled by the question.  He hadn't thought about Christmas until that moment.  He nodded uncertainly.

"Well, son.  How about you and I give everyone their Christmas presents a little early."  He knelt down beside the lad and took a small packet out of the pocket of his coat.  "Why don't you give one of these to each of the ladies in your town as an early Christmas gift?"  And he handed the child the packet full of darning needles.  "I think there are enough here for every family to have one."

And so there were.  Little Jimmy passed the needles out to each family, his face beaming with pride.  And the peddler refused to accept a penny for the needles, insisting that they were a Christmas gift from Jimmy to the town.

After that, Pass Creek Canyon became a regular stop on the peddler's route, and the farmers and settlers in the community began to prosper and do well in their new home.  Never again did they run out of darning needles, which was a blessing to all!

 July 25th is Thread the Needle Day. A day to celebrate sewing crafts of every kind. Naturally, I plan to give you a sewing craft to go with the story and the holiday but there is also an old children's game called  Thread the Needle.

According to MamaLisa.com:

In Thread the Needle Games, the players stand in two rows across from each other. They hold hands in an arch with the person across from them. Players go under the arch and join the end of the line once they’re through the arch. Sometimes they’re played while singing a song.

 It sounds a lot like playing London Bridge, doesn't it?
Like most folk songs and folk games, there are variations on how the game is played and on the words and tune of the song.

midi version of the tune
Thread my grandmother’s needle,
Thread my grandmother’s needle;
It is too dark we cannot see
To thread my grandmother’s needle.

Come thread a long needle, come thread,
The eye is too little, the needle’s too big.
Thread the needle thro’ the skin,
Sometimes out and sometimes in.

This is an interesting video of adults playing the game.



And now for a very easy sewing project.

T Shirt Drawstring Bag
you'll need:
a t-shirt
needle and thread
scissors
ribbon or cord for a drawstring
safety pin

Directions:
Turn the t-shirt inside out.
Cut t-shirt starting next to the collar and cut straight down both sides.
Sew down both sides and across the bottom.
Turn right sides out.
To close you bag, will use the natural neck casing as your drawstring casing. Cut small slit in this collar casing.
 Pin safety pin to one end of your ribbon or cord.
Insert drawstring or ribbon through the neck casing. 
Remove pin, tie the ends of your ribbon together.
Voila!
Check out these step-by-step pics.

Craft Blog has a similar bag from a t-shirt. The directions have good pictures.

How to Hand Sew