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!

Foxes in the Grass

A family of foxes hiding in the grass
Showed off their rusty tails as I walked past.
A family of foxes hiding on the hill
Not a sound did they make, hiding oh so still.

A tiny yellow bird landed on the biggest one
Pecking, poking here and there and having lots of fun.
As quickly as she landed, she gently flew away
​I wondered why the foxes let her poke them in this way.

And then that tiny little bird whispered in my ear
"Go and touch that furry tail, you do not need to fear."
And so I tip toed in the grass to that family
And touched the biggest rusty tail oh so carefully.
It wasn't soft and fluffy, but really kind of dry
"It's not a fox at all, but a big old weed!" I cried.

I rubbed and rubbed that big old tail in my dirty hand
And lots of tiny seeds fell like little grains of sand.
"That, my friend is a curly dock" the happy birdie said
"I like to eat their tiny seeds, so rich and scarlet red."

And as the birdie flew away, I gave a little laugh
​How fun it is to think of foxes hiding in the grass!

A Family of hedgehogs

A family of hedgehogs 
Came to me today
Wrapped up in a pretty box
From very far away.

And when I opened up the box
They all looked up at me
"Won't you take us to be part
Of your family?"

"Oh yes I will!" I did reply
"But how did you all know?
That I love hedgies oh-so-much
They give my heart a glow!"

"Oh, that's because a friend of yours
Who knows you oh-so-fine
Sent us to you as a gift
In the summer time."

"She knew that you were just the one
To give us all a home
Where we could dig and play and work
With your garden gnome."

Thank you sweet Melissa dear
For your gift so fine
Like this hedgie family
You are in this heart of mine.

This family of hedgehogs
Really make me smile
And think of a friend so very dear
Across the many miles.


© written by Christine Summerfield/September 1, 2019
"

"To the tune of Sing A Song of Sixpence"

Sing A Song of Compost

Sing a song of compost by the apple tree
Learn about the secrets there for you and me.
Make your own compost and spread it on the land
It's fun to make and fun to do, so come and take my hand!

First you put some branches at the bottom of the bin
This will make a base for all that will go in.
Then you build the layers, one by one
Making compost in the yard can be so much fun!

Alternate the layers of brown and of green
Sprinkle bits of water all in between.
As the pile gets higher, turn it once for air
Then you let it sit and cook for months without a care.

The compost pile will cook and you know it will get hot!
Red wriggler worms they like it quite a lot!
They eat all the food scraps and make the black gold
Miraculous and magical, a wonder to behold.

When you finally open up the compost bin
Put your hand inside and look right in
No more leaves or clippings or old banana peels
Only dirt so rich and black, how soft it really feels!

Then you take the compost and spread it on the ground
Underneath the roses or in a little mound
Plant your beans and pumpkins or any other seed
Vitamins for vegetables, the soil it really feeds!

If you're feeling fancy, make a kind of tea
Not the kind for cookies, for grandma and me
Compost in a bucket filled with water fine
Gives an extra feeding for tomatoes on the vine!

Now you've made some compost, I hope you've had some fun
Finding all the magic underneath the sun.
Keep a compost cooking by the apple tree
​Tell your friends about it all and share the recipe!

© written by Christine Summerfield/March 31, 2019

Brown and grey
Brown and grey
What does the winter garden do all day?

White and brown
White and brown
Nothing much to hear, it doesn't make a sound.

Ho and hum
Ho and hum
Grey and brown makes me feel all glum.

Then a voice said "ho!"
"Look below!
Take a little moment now and say 'hello!'"

Beside my boot
In his green suit
He said "I am the one who tends the root!"

"You might say
It's brown and grey
But just you wait til one spring day!"

"Soon the roots
Will send up shoots
And you'll see flowers in the month of May!"

Then the wee gnome
Hid behind a stone
And burrowed down below to his earthen home.

Though brown and grey
On this winter's day
The garden really DID have a lot to say!

 written by Christine Summerfield / March 7, 2019