Feasts, & Fun

Today  there was a grand feast. There were Indians. OH! Excuse me... I was informed there were Native Americans. There were Pilgrims. What makes lunch hour more than just lunch but a FEAST?  Paper bag dressed natives, construction paper pilgrims, determined teachers and willing parents.

Back up to Monday. At ten o'clock in the First grade room apple peels went flying as each first grader learned to use the peeler- corer- slicer.  They measured water, sugar and cinnamon into the crock pot full of apple slices. They stirred the apple slices... the smelled them cooking all day in their classroom.  hmmmmmmmmmm that wonderful appley scent wafting through making everyone hungry. A glance in the Kindergarten room showed flour in the air, on the desk, on the floor, and on several faces from making homemade noodles. Two volunteer mothers are snapping green beans and peeling potatoes. One fifteen in the Pre K room the children gather around Mrs. H and measure milk and corn meal for muffins. Meanwhile I filled a dozen pint jars with heavy whipping cream. When the corn meal muffins were ready to go in the oven each child got a jar. The shaking began.  When you agitate heavy whipping cream long enough... it turns into butter.  Really Good butter.  Those little ones so eager to please were a joy. "Mrs. C Check mine!" " Is it ready yet?" " look at mine!" " I am tired, you shake it" So Mrs H and I would shake theirs for a bit until the child decided we were doing it wrong and took his or her jar back. Eventually we had 12 jars with butter in the bottom of each. We poured off the moisture and chilled the jars so there would be fresh homemade butter for the Feast today. Bright One was very proud that she had turned it into butter ... like magic. The second grade made pies... the whole elementary wing smelled divine. Someone made the turkeys today and the young elementary feasted. It was an event. Tomorrow the upper elementary will feast.

I came home very tired Monday after helping the first grade make applesauce and the Pre K make butter. But satisfied. I can see the draw in teaching. The excitement of Bright One and her classmates as their jars transformed to butter. The joy of Love Bug showing her peers how to peel apples. It was a fun day. Then today when they pile into the car and share about the turkey and all the sides. It was worth the effort to make the memory. What made it grand? The memory does. My girls made the day a wonder by their excitement and willingness to believe in brown bag natives and construction paper pilgrims.


Lord, restore my willingness to supply imagination to each setting and person. That I might see them as you would have me see them. That I would be obedient to your nudges to act when all I see are bags and paper instead of Natives and Pilgrims, Lord Help me see more clearly.