The Little White Feather who flew

One day, while little white feather was nestled into his nest, a big strong gust of wind came along and shook the whole tree. The big gust of wind was so strong that it picked him right up and swirled him around! that gust of wind swirled him upside down and than right out of his little nest.
When the little white feather stopped swirling, he found himself far, far away from his nest. He did not recognize much around him, not the trees, not the houses, not the birds, not even the clouds!

Yes, this little white feather was further away from home than ever before!

At first the little white feather was scared. He had never really flew free like this, he worried he might get caught in a big upstream of wind and be taken right out to space!
The little white feather decided he would do his best to work with the wind and its currents so he could find his way back to his cozy little nest.

It took some practice, it wasn't easy at first.
He would swirl around real fast and get dizzy
than he would swoop up high, float for a few minutes, than slowly sweep back down
only to be whisked away in a swoop or swirl again.
Soon the little white feather was having fun, "I'm getting the hang of this!" he exclaimed in excitement.
As he swooped, swirled, swept and floated he began to notice there were people all around
"I must have flown right into the park" thought the feather.
"I wonder if they can see me flying!"

So the little white feather decided to show off his swooping, sweeping, swirling and floating tricks for all the people at the park. "Surely this will make them all laugh and be happy" he exclaimed as he swept past a butterfly on a flower.
So off he went, swooping real fast, sweeping real hard and swirling so much he got dizzy again. He flew up high, hung in the air right before the people, and than floated right down beside them. Than, the little white feather waited for their reactions..."ooh this will be great" he thought to himself.

He began to notice something about the people he was preforming for.
Some of them stopped to watch him, some smiled and kept on walking by, some of them even tried to catch him while giggling out loud; all this made him very happy. But some of the people did not notice him at all! NOT AT ALL!!! There were some people who were busy talking on phones, talking to each other, or plain ol' not paying attention.
"but they didn't see me, they didn't smile, and they definitely did not laugh!"
This made the little white feather feel sad.
"what did I do wrong?" he asked himself.
"I swooped, I swirled, I swept, I floated, flew and spun. I did all the fun things that should have made ALL those people happy, but I did not make some of them smile or laugh"

The little white feather landed himself on a branch and thought real hard.
And than, he had an idea..."I will just have to try harder!"

So the little white feather went out into the sky once more, determined this time to make everyone smile, laugh and giggle!
He swooped even faster, he swept side to side even harder, and he swirled so fast that he got so very dizzy, than he flew up even higher into the sky and hung in the air before the people for even longer than before, and than; exhausted, he floated right down beside them again.
"Ah, that should do it" he proclaimed

But, while the feather was doing his tricks, he was also watching the people.
Again, he noticed that some people were delighted with him, they watched him, they smiled, they giggled, some laughed out loud, and they seemed happy.
But again, there were some people who did not notice him AT ALL!!
"BUT HOW CAN THIS BE?" pondered the feather
"I simply DO NOT UNDERSTAND how some people do not notice me AT ALL"
So the little feather sat down once more on the branch of the tree to think.
He thought really, really hard, and than all of a sudden he GOT it!
"I understand why some people did not notice me" he proclaimed

You see, the whole time the little white feather believed the reason that some people did not notice him had to do with his swooping, sweeping, swirling or floating! he thought it has something to do with HIM.
"no no no" he said, "it cannot be that"

I think in fact, the reason I could not make every person happy has NOTHING to do with me!
"I cannot make people notice me, watch my tricks, laugh, or be happy" he exclaimed
"No, ALL I have to do is be myself!!" he said proudly!
"If I float, sweep, swirl, swoop and fly to make myself happy, than that is ALL I need to do"

The little white feather felt proud of himself for figuring this out.
Now, the feather understood that the important thing was for him to be himself, and do the things that made him happy, and do those things the very best he could. Some people will notice, some people will laugh. His tricks will make some people happy, but his tricks may not make ALL the people happy, and that is OK!

The little white feather knew that he could fly and play and simply be a little white feather.
He also knew that being himself would make some people happy, but not everybody.
But at least, he would always be himself; floating, flying, swooping, swirling, and sweeping,
AND THAT would always make HIM happy!
To this very day, if you look around in the sky, you may very well see little white feather flying around happy as can be.

The End.

Tanya Minnick ©

image; www.ordet.it/foto/2005/resized/20050815_459.JPG

Max and his Marshmallow

Max loved marshmallows. There was no doubt about it. Max loved marshmallows of every colour; blue and green, red and yellow, it did not matter Max loved them all. Max would stack them up tall, and eat them quickly before they would fall. Max juggled marshmallows; he'd toss them up high, high into the air then eat them one by one as they fell down. Sometimes, Max would eat two marshmallows at once! Yes, Max absolutely, really, totally loved marshmallows.

Max went camping with his family every summer. On this camping trip something outrageous happened. Once the tent was set up, the lawn chairs were out, and the campfire was glowing,
Max politely asked his mom "Could I have a marshmallow please, to roast over the campfire?" Max's mother said "of course you can," she replied "but be careful, and do not eat too many" Max's eyes lit up, as he bounced off the ground "Hooray! Roasted toasted warm gooey marshmallows" Max asked his little sister, "Would you like a roasted, toasted, warm gooey marshmallow?" "no thank you, my belly is way way too full" she answered. Max asked his father, "would you like a roasted marshmallow?" but his father shook his head, "oh my, no thank you, you see just like your sister, my belly too is way way too full" Max turned to ask his mother, but she answered before he could open his mouth. "no thank you Max, just like your sister, and father, my belly too, is way way too full"

So Max took his marshmallow, with his perfect marshmallow-roasting stick to the campfire and began to roast.
He was careful not to put the marshmallow too close, so it would not burn. He was careful not to leave it too far away, so it would not take too long to roast. Once the marshmallow on the end of his stick was in the perfect spot, Max waited. But just then something odd began to happen, something to Max’s surprise. Max blinked his big bulging eyes.

Max's marshmallow had begun to grow! It grew larger and larger, until it was down right BIG! But it didn't stop there; the marshmallow went from BIG to bigger, and even bigger still! Max's eyes opened wide, and his mouth let out a stutter!

He turned to his mother and father and sister, they too looked up in awe and wonder! Soon, the marshmallow had grown so big, that it toppled their tent and their lawn chairs in their circle! Max wondered how he was going to stop this marshmallow from taking over the whole forest.
Just as everybody began to run away, Max had an idea. He had a great idea; he'd have to start eating this large, big, huge roasted marshmallow.

Max smiled, had his dream come true? A warm, gooey, roasted toasted marshmallow this big? It must taste extra gooey and good! So just like that Max began to munch on that marshmallow. "mmmmmm" he exclaimed, while licking the warm roasted marshmallow goo from his lips. "this is the best roasted marshmallow ever"

Just like that, Max munched and he munched, then he munched some more. It didn't take long for Max to eat most of that roasted warm gooey marshmallow. And finally, he did it! His mother and father and little sister shouted out "hooray, our camping trip is saved!" Max slumped to the ground, and licked the marshmallow from his lips. "mmmm I love marshmallows" announced Max. So Max and his mother and father and little sister gathered around the now saved campfire. Just then his mother pulled out a bag of pretzels and said; "would anyone like some pretzels?" Max looked over at his mother "No thank you, my belly is much much too full"

The end.

Written by Tanya Minnick ©

Image from...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/Marshmallows_in_soft_yellow_and_blue_light.jpg/800px-Marshmallows_in_soft_yellow_and_blue_light.jpg

The Unclimbable Climbing Tree

Jacob lived in a nice house on the corner of a nice street, and in his nice front yard was a nice huge big tree.
Jacob wanted to climb that tree, he thought it would be so neat
But Jacob's mother told him
"no not yet, my boy"
"you must wait, until you grow bigger"
"then you can go and climb that huge big tree" but mom,
Do I have to wait until I grow bigger? why can't I give it a try?

but his mother again said he'd have to wait.

So Jacob waited, and Jacob watched that tree, year after year grow bigger and bigger
until one day he looked at it in shock
"that tree has gotten so big, I don't know if I can ever climb it now"
Do I have to.... give up my dream of climbing that tree?
But Jacob did not give up on this dream, he knew he could climb that tree
the only task he had now was to figure out how.
Do I have to..... use a ladder. to climb that big tree? Jacob thought real hard,
"no no, that will not work"

Do I have to... fly a kite up into the tree, then climb up the rope until I reach that huge big tree.
"no, no, I do not think that little rope would hold me"

Day after day, Jacob thought about climbing that tree.
Each night Jacob dreamed of the far far away distant sights he could see, from up high on the branches of this huge big tree.
But still Jacob did not know how he would ever figure out how to climb that unclimbable tree.

Then one day while Jacob was sitting in the shade underneath that huge big tree, he heard a "plop" and then a small "tweet tweet"
Jacob jumped to his feet and ran around to the other side of the huge big tree.
To Jacob's surprise, he saw a small birch bird, lying on the grass.
Jacob quietly bent down on his knees, looked at the little bird and said
"oh you poor thing, you must have fallen from your nest in that huge big tree"
Jacob carefully picked up the baby bird and stroked his little head.
The bird let out a quiet "tweet tweet" then rested his head in Jacob's hand.
Jacob knew the little bird could not yet fly, so he couldn't get back up to his nest.
He wondered how ever could he help this bird, since Jacob too was much too small yet to climb that huge big tree.
Then Jacob had an idea, he would take care of that bird until he was big enough and strong enough to fly himself back up into that tree.

So Jacob rushed off into the house with the little bird in his hands, to make him a nest for him. He would have to help him eat, and sing him to sleep.
Wait! Do I have to feed him worms to eat Jacob wondered, what exactly do little birds eat?

Jacob gathered some leaves, and twigs, some old socks with holes and some soft warm cotton.
He tucked the little bird into the make-shift nest, then went outside to dig up some worms.
The days turned into a week, then one week into two. Jacob had almost forgotten about climbing that huge big tree, he was busy after all helping this bird.
Soon, the little bird had grown bigger, and his "tweets" were not so quiet.
Before Jacob knew it, that little bird was ready to fly.

Do I have to let you go little bird? I like having you be my friend, but Jacob knew that he had to let the little bird go.
Jacob picked up the bird and carried him outside ready to see if indeed he could fly.

He stood under that huge big unclimbable climbing tree, and said to the bird
"thank you for being my friend, but you are big and strong now, and it is time you fly back to your nest up high in that tree"
The bird looked up at Jacob, then stretched out his wings. Just like that the not so little birch bird flapped his wings and began to fly!
He flew in circles, he flew up high, then whizzed down fast. Then he flew right up to Jacob and landed on his shoulder.

The little bird looked at Jacob then up into the tree.
Then the bird flew up and disappeared into the branches of that huge big tree. Jacob was happy that the bird made it home, but also kind of sad since he was still standing on the ground.

Jacob turned to walk away, but just then heard a loud flapping of wings. He spun around real fast and saw the bird, he had come back! But the bird had brought with him, 10 other big birch birds.
They flew over to Jacob landed on his shoulders and arms, and legs and even feet!
Then all the birds began flapping their wings, and believe it or not Jacob began to rise up off the grass!

The birds, all 11 of them, flew Jacob up up up into that huge big tree!
They carefully set him down on a branch beside 11 different nests, and together all 11 birds and Jacob looked down from that tree.
Jacob couldn't believe it! It was better then his dream!
He could see even further away then he had ever dreamed he would!
Indeed, Jacob could see the whole nice street, the whole nice neighbourhood, and even the whole nice city!
Jacob could see all the way to the nice blue sea!

Jacob was so happy that he had made it up into the huge big unclimbable climbing tree.
Then all 11 birds carefully flew Jacob back down to the grass.
Once Jacob's little feet were safely back down, the birds nodded their heads and let out 11 loud tweets
That night Jacob had wonderful dreams, but this time he was dreaming about the time when he sat on the branch up high in that huge big nice tree.

The end

© Tanya Minnick

The Dog who lost his tail

Max, was a very happy little shaggy dog, with hair that wasn't quite long, and wasn't quite short. He was brown, and black and dotted with spots. He had one blue eye and one brown eye.
Max was a one of a kind; kind of dog.
Max was out in the backyard playing one happy sunny day, he ran, he romped, and he rolled. He played until he was so tired that he flopped on the greener than green grass to lay.
When he got up off the grass, he stretched, he shook, he slobbered and then he wagged his.....
Tail?? huh?
But much to his surprise, his tail was not there! nope no tail at all! His tail- it was missing!!!
Max thought really hard, where could his tail have gone??
Maybe it fell off while running, romping, and rolling.
"oh no" he thought
"what will I wag when I see my favorite boy?"

So Max began to search...
He searched and he searched. He sniffed in circles, and than in circles the other way, but still he could not smell his tail.
He looked and he looked very hard but he could not see his tail.
Max hunted, searched and sniffed very, very hard, all morning and afternoon.
But....still no tail was found
Finally, Max went back into his house.
He felt silly, and rather small like a mouse.
what would his favorite boy think of him now?
He worried that he would look funny; a dog with no tail!

But wait! what was that?? he felt something that tickled.
He froze, he stood real still, and waited for that tickle to return.
And sure enough it did! there it was, that something that tickled!
Max spun around real fast, he couldn't believe his eyes!
It was his tail! it had been found at last!
Max wagged his tail, just to be sure, and indeed it was right there.
He felt silly, for his tail had been there all along
His tail was right where it should be right on his bum.
The little black dog let out a big sigh of relief
and when his favorite boy came home from school, Max; the black, brown and white spotted dog,
wagged that tail with all his might.
and Max slept very, very well that night.

The end.

© Tanya Minnick

Can a dog climb a tree?

Can a dog climb a tree?
I do not think so

They can jump over logs
They can try to catch frogs
They can dig a deep hole
They can drink water from a bowl

They can wag and chase their tail
they can fetch the days newspaper from the mail
They can climb up a huge, big high hill
They can sit nice and try hard to be still
They can leap over a fence
They can even kiss and leave slobber on your friends

Yes dogs can do a lot of things
they are as funny as can be

They can try, and who knows maybe a dog climb a tree
but I have simply never seen a dog climb a tree!

The End.

© Tanya Minnick

Luc and the Snurdle

Have you ever heard of a thing called a SNURDLE?
Well, let me tell you all about those rather funny snurdles.
You see, it's not quite a turtle, and it's not quite a snail, nope it's more like a wiggling creature somewhere in the middle.
It is hard to properly explain a snurdle to someone new, but I'm sure you'd find them quite fun and love able too.
It wobbles and wiggles when it walks.
It mumbles and moans when it munches on its lunch.
It slobbers and snores when it sleeps standing up, but these are just a few of the silly things you might see a snurdle do.



Although, you should also know, that snurdles are very, very shy.
They live deep in the forest, and when someone comes wandering by, they quickly wiggle and wobble to hide away.

So if, you want to know exactly what a wiggling, wobbling, mumbling, munching, slobbering snoring silly snurdle looks like, you would have to ask the only boy who has seen one up close.

You'd have to ask Luc, who just happens to know a snurdle quite well.
You see Luc is an energetic explorer of all things new. He spends lots of time in the forest, seeking and searching for things to discover.
He has all the special gear a young explorer would need.
Like his purple pants with plenty of pockets, perfect for putting any treasures he finds while out exploring; like rocks.
And let's not forget his hiking hat, sunglasses, compass, and walking stick.
As you can see, it is safe to say that Luc has everything a young energetic explorer would need.

One day, Luc was out in the forest searching for the rare maroon marzipan flower. Luc was hoping to find one to bring home to his little sister Eryn. While searching for the flower, he came across a spider hanging in a tree.
Luc stopped to take a look at the spider's super wound web.
While looking at the spider web, Luc heard a new noise.
He stood very still, and he waited and he listened.
"Mumble, mumble, moan, munch"

There it was again! Luc covered his mouth to keep his giggle quiet. After all, a snurdle's noise is rather funny.
"Mumble, mumble, moan, munch"
It happened again, it was coming from behind the big tree by the river.
Luc was not sure what kind of creature would make such a funny noise.
So, Luc tiptoed quietly towards the big tree by the river, careful not to make a peep.
He wouldn't want to scare away whatever was hiding behind that tree.
So quiet as a mouse, Luc snuck up closer, and closer until he reached the tree. He waited for a minute, took a deep breath, and then.....
he poked his head around the tree to take a peek.
"Mumble, mumble, moan, munch"
Just then Luc saw something snacking on some blue bumble berries.
It was a snacking, wobbling, wiggling, mumbling, moaning, munching, SNURDLE!!!
Luc couldn't believe his eyes, a new creature!
What a fantastic surprise!
And with a whisper of a gasp, the snurdle spun around.
Right there in the middle of the forrest, stood Luc and the snurdle, staring at each other with wide open eyes.
Luc opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Finally, he managed to greet the creature
"Hi, my name is Luc" he then waited to see if the creature would answer.
"Mumble, Marvin," said the creature.
"Marvin? Is that your name?" asked Luc.
"Snurdle, Marvin" said the new creature, named Marvin.
"snurdle?" asked Luc.
Well, as it turns out, snurdle's do not really know how to talk, they kind of mumble and moan and let out the occasional burp. But, Luc is a smart explorer, and it didn't take him long to figure out, that he had just met a snurdle.
Luc couldn't help but giggle at the snurdle. Actually, Luc didn't just giggle, he flopped to the ground, rolling side-to-side laughing out loud.
Marvin just looked at Luc, rolling around on the ground, making a funny noise.
Marvin wondered what this strange two-legged creature was doing.
Finally, Luc was able to catch his breath and stop laughing. He stood up and brushed the leaves from his knees.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh. It's just that snurdle is a funny word."

So there stood Marvin and Luc just looking at each other.
"So do you live in the forest Marvin?" asked Luc
"Mumble yep, in that tree" answered Marvin and he pointed at a very tall speckled oak tree.
"Wow" exclaimed Luc.
"Do you like to visit forest?" asked Marvin.
"Oh yes," answered Luc
"I love to explore"
"Today I am in search of something very special for my sister" explained Luc.
"It seems I am having a hard time finding one though."
Marvin licked the bumble berry from his chin, then asked
"What is it you are in search of?"
"I am looking for the rare maroon marzipan flower," answered Luc.
"Rare?" exclaimed Marvin, as he giggled.
"The maroon marzipan flower is not so rare, there is a huge field of them"
Luc's eyes sprung open wide "really?" asked Luc
"Why yes, there is a magical field where they grow like weeds"
"Could you bring me to this field?" asked Luc
Marvin smiled, burped, and then answered with an excited "of course, follow me"
So the two new friends set off to the magical field of maroon marzipan flowers.
They wiggled and weaved around tall spotted spunk trees, they splashed and sloshed through wide-open streams, and they tumbled and trekked through thick tussle bushes.
They climbed a high, high hill and when they reached the top they were tired and finally stopped.
Marvin looked at Luc and said
"Just behind this furry fickle fern is the magical field of maroon marzipan flowers.
Luc could hardly contain his excitement "really? We made it?"
Marvin smiled, and then pulled back the fickle fern to show Luc.
Luc could hardly believe his eyes; indeed it was a magical field full of beautiful maroon marzipan flowers!
"Oh wow," exclaimed Luc
"They’re beautiful!"
So, the two new friends wiggled and wobbled out into the field, and Luc picked a handful of the flowers; than they turned back and headed into the forest.

They weaved through trees, splashed through streams, and trekked through tussle bushes until they finally arrived back at the spot were they started.
"Thank you so much Marvin, my sister Eryn will love the beautiful flowers"
"You’re welcome Luc" answered Marvin
The two said goodbye, then Luc turned to go home and Marvin returned to munching on blue bumble berries.
Luc returned home with the flowers, which Eryn loved.
Luc has grown older now, but still likes to visit the forest, and when he does, he visits Marvin as well.
Luc has never told anyone about the snurdles, since he knows they are very, very shy.
But, as far as we know, Luc is the only little boy who knows a snurdle quite well.

The end.

© Tanya Minnick

image of snail; www.bbc.co.uk/.../120907_snail1_450x340.jpg

image of turtle; www.bbc.co.uk/.../120907_snail1_450x340.jpg