​          What do dandelions do
          when they sleep at night?
     When their leaves and petals curl
          and fold up oh-so-tight?

     In the morning they wake up 
          and open to the sun
     But at night they go to sleep
          when the day is done.

     When I go to sleep at night
          I dream of traveling far
     Past the silver moon up high
          To the twinkling stars.

     Perhaps when dandelions sleep
          They dream about the day
     When they will open up and then
​          Their seeds will fly away.

How boys and girls will pick them, make a wish and blow
Setting free the little seeds to scatter to and fro.

Sailing high up to the sky on fluffy, silken wings
Back up to their starry home, where the angels sing.

I smile when I think about a secret we both keep
How dandelions and people too like to dream and sleep.

Here is a one of my favorite children's poems written in 1889 by American writer and poet, Eugene Field. I used to sing this lullaby in the kindergarten while the children rested.  May you find your own wooden shoe and go fishing at night among the stars. I'll see you there in my dreams... 

WYNKEN, BLYNKEN, AND NOD
    Eugene Field

​Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night
    Sailed off in a wooden shoe-
Sailed on a river of crystal light,
    Into a sea of dew.
"Where are you going and what do you wish?"
    The old moon asked the three.
"We have come to fish for the herring fish
    That live in this beautiful sea;
    Nets of silver and gold have we!"
                  Said Wynken,
                  Blynken,
                  And Nod.

The old moon laughed and sang a song,
     As they rocked in the wooden shoe,
And the wind that sped them all night long
     Ruffled the waves of dew.
The little stars were the herring fish
     That lived in the beautiful sea-
"Now cast your nets wherever you wish-
     Never afeard are we";
So cried the stars to the fishermen three:
                Wynken,
                Blynken,
               And Nod.

All night long their nets they threw
     To the stars in the twinkling foam-
Then down from the skies came the wooden shoe,
     Bringing the fishermen home;
'Twas all so pretty a sail it seemed
     As if it could not be,
And some folks thought 't was a dream they'd dreamed
     Of sailing that beautiful sea-
     But I shall name you the fishermen three:
                  Wynken,
                  Blynken,
​                  And Nod.  

Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes,
​    And Nod is a little head.
And the wooden shoe that siled the skies
    Is a wee one's trundle-bed.
So shut your eyes while mother sings
    Of wonderful sights that be,
And you shall see the beautiful things
    As you rock in the misty sea,
    Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three:
                  Wynken,
                  Blynken,
                  And Nod.

​Poem by Eugene Field, 1889
Needle Felted Illustrations by Christine Summerfield © May 16, 2020

The Marry Month of May

It's the marry month of May when flowers are in bloom
A time for courtship and romance for every bride and groom.

Mister Swallow and his bride donned their very best
They married in a hawthorn tree and then they built their nest.
​

And then there were two pixies dear who lived in Yorkshire dell
The fairy folk who live there still have this tale to tell...

Mushroom Boy, a gentleman, he bowed on bended knee
Asking his beloved one, "will you marry me?"

"Oh yes!" she cried and clapped her hands, her cheeks a rosy hue
And with a sunny smile she said, "I will marry you!"
​

Another couple fell in love when they were young and free
Married in a chapel, filled with friends and family.

They are still together now, a faithful king and queen
Through all the seasons of their life, like a garden green.

Birds and faeries, people too can marry in the spring
​Sharing love and happiness and even wedding rings.

© written and illustrated by Christine Summerfield / May 7, 2020

Prayer Flags

Flags in the garden, each with a prayer
Tied to a string with love and care.

Flags in the garden hanging in the trees
Gently sway in the spring time breeze.

"I have flags too!" said a voice from below
"Come over and see, but on tip-toe."

I quietly walked to a shady place
Where a big plant grew, then I saw her face.
The winged one smiled and spoke to me
As she hung her flags from her little tree.

"This plant is called a Bleeding Heart
In the early spring they are works of art.
The pink and red hearts all hang all in a row
And tinkle and laugh when the breezes blow.

"Each little heart is like a prayer
Filled with kindness, love and care.

And when the wind blows, they gently sway
And then the prayers can fly away!

"Tenderly they fly like wings on a dove 
To people and places that needs some love."

I smiled at her and she smiled at me
And the love between our hearts we both could see.

I tip toed back to my special tree
Where my flags all hung in front of me.
A little wind blew and I watched them sway
And one by one, the prayers all flew away!

To all kinds of people, big and small
Where love is needed, the flags hear their call.

Now a secret we all can share
In the garden are all kinds of prayer.

written and illustrated by Christine Summerfield © April 23, 2020

                  Coats of Blue
       Two little friends in coats of blue
       Went walking one rainy day
       There was no sun
       But they had fun
       Singing along the way!

       The raindrops fell
       Pell and mell
       You might say "my oh my!"
       But 'neath that umbrella you could tell
       That they were warm and dry.

       And then they stopped to take a look
       At birdies one and two
       Under an umbrella big
       With feathers bright and blue!

   I     

​            They too were singing in the rain
            Yet they were warm and dry
            Underneath a mushroom cap
            Big, and fat and wide!

           So when you walk out with a friend
           Who likes to sing with you
           You might just see another pair
​           Wearing coats of blue.
          

Tiny Purple Grapes
On my morning walk one day I saw a funny thing
Tiny clumps of purple grapes blooming in the spring!

Usually they grow on vines and get picked in the fall
But these tiny little grapes were standing straight and tall.

And then I heard a gentle laugh coming from below
He wore a funny purple hat and said "my name is Joe!"

"You see, these are grape hyacinths growing in a clump
Their flowers look like little grapes, they're fat, and round and plump!
But these little purple grapes, these you cannot eat
The honey bees they love them so, for them, they are a treat!"

And then that fairy smiled at me and with his purple hat
He bowed just like a gentleman, can you imagine that!

And when he put his cap back on, he gave a little wink
Then he was gone in a flash, before I could even blink!

And now I smile to myself, because now I know
​How in the fall and in the spring, purple grapes can grow!