Hoppy Friday - Grateful for the Tortoise and the Hares

Honestly, I can't believe it's Friday again. I have found that working for myself, Friday's don't have the same feeling as they use to. That "Thank God it's Friday" feeling has turned into "Oh my gosh! Where did this week go? It's Friday already!!!!"

This week I would like to share two stories that touched my heart, made me smile and made me cry happy tears.


First was Mama turtle. Every morning when I get up, I open my bathroom window blind, look into my back yard at the pond, the trees, the grass and the sky and say out loud, "Thank you for this day!"

The other morning, my day started out watching Mama turtle head up my yard to my flower bed. David had just put fresh mulch in all the beds. Mama turtle got into the bed, dug her head under the mulch, turned in a circle three times and the started to dig with her back legs. She's an older turtle as noted by all the moss on her shell.

I was so excited as I knew she was going to plant eggs there. I call it planting because they really do plant them in the earth. It took her about 40 minutes to dig the hole (I fed the bunnies and had coffee while she was digging).

Then she straddled the hole and plop, in went an egg! She pushed a little dirt on the egg and then again, plop went another egg and some dirt and again and again. She planted a total of five eggs! Then just as carefully as she made the circle, she covered it back up.

I watched her travel back down the yard to the safety of the pond. Quickly, I went to my computer and Googled how long it would take for the babies of a Slider turtle to hatch. Looks like 45-90 days depending on weather conditions.

What touched my heart most is the place she decided to plant the eggs. You see, new life will be coming from a place where I buried four of my beloved bunnies. This place is a bunny graveyard. I can't help but think these wee turtles will be safe here. I'll be keeping a watchful eye on this spot for sure and give those babies a first class flight to the pond once they emerge.

Next, I had an unexpected gift from my mailman. Literally, a gift from the mailman. His name is Adriane. If I see him getting a package out of his truck for me, I will walk out to greet him and save his tired legs a walk up my driveway. The other week he said, "I've been meaning to ask you something. My mother passed away a few years ago and she was really into ceramics. She made three white rabbits. I was wondering if you might like them?"

I replied, "Really? Are you sure? I would love them!" His face got the biggest smile and he said he would bring them. Well, sure enough this week, he pulled up to my door with the rabbits. I think it made his entire day that I was thrilled with them and thanked him over and over. However, I think he was more thrilled because he now had room to put out some of his collections, which I was informed was eagles. ;)

The three hares, whom I have named "Wynken, Blynken and Nod have found a new home on the shelf in my guest room. Here they will watch over my guests as they sleep and bring them sweet dreams. Each was signed by Adriane's mother and dated 1997. I can't help but think she is happy and smiling that a crazy bunny lady ended up with her creations. hee,hee,hee.

Here is the poem Wynken, Blynken and Nod written by American writer, Eugene Field. It's original title was a Dutch lullaby published, March 9, 1889. It is one of my mom's favorites and mine too. 

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod 

by 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 afraid 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 folk thought ‘twas 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 sailed 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.

 

Hugs, hoppy Friday and may your weekend be filled with many things to be grateful for.   

xx,
Michelle and the Bunnies