The little artist

This morning I took my penknife and a couple of twigs outdoors and spent a while whittling. I'd intended to make a chicken from a forked twig and did feel I ought to have a large dog by my side and a shotgun leaning against the chair to see off unwelcome visitors, rather like the old pioneers… Not that I have either a large dog or a shotgun.  

The little girl who lives across the road came out and bounced her ball up and down for a while but was clearly a bit bored.  I sent her home to get a piece of white paper and something to rest on.  Then I showed her how to make pictures using the flowers to 'paint with'. I showed her how to crush them and squish them across the page to release the colours.  Then I asked her to find a small twig and showed her how to make narrow streaks using the twig to drag the leaves and petals across the page.  She understands that she wasn't allowed to come within ten feet of me and we spent a couple of hours just sitting 'painting' together, her on the pavement and me on my garden bench. I did say she wasn't to pick flowers from anyone else's garden and she must wash her hands thoroughly when she went in.  She asked if we could do some more after lunch but I said we could do something different tomorrow if the weather allows. I gave her some homework... :-)   She has to draw a huge sunflower and stick it in her bedroom window.. She skipped off home with a smile on her face.  I had quite forgotten how much fun children can have doing the simplest things. I already have a project in mind for tomorrow if the weather allows.