Fence Day

Saturday was Fence Day at Paul's house in State College.
Paul
and Den
and the two Matts
were busy all day
digging holes,
mixing Sacrete,
installing stringers,
and making a lovely fence of Amish lumber.
The yard is now quieter and safer.

View from the back deck

Anna
and Lucy
and their friend Lily
were busy all day
digging holes,
making signs,
peddling trimmed forsythia branches--
A British woman drove up 
and was Anna's first customer. 
Nicky had been admiring the "for-SIGH-thia" at Spring Creek Park, 
but had resisted the urge to pick 
what she called "the essence of a Pennsylvania spring." 
We all agreed her stop was pre-ordained.
...riding bikes,
balance-beaming up boards to the trailer,
eating violets--
you can nibble the nectaries out 
for a tiny sweet treat 
or eat the whole flower. 
They taste somewhat like cucumbers.
...playing catch,
finding bunny poop-- 
If you look very carefully, 
you can see what the bunny ate.
...tying a string to a stuffed seal on the sidewalk
and then hiding like a spy under the forsythia bushes
until an unsuspecting pedestrian walked by--
Lucy had no interest in Anna's antics. 
Her stuffed friend Foxy 
has jumped from two vehicles in the last nine days 
and neither liked the brief separations.
...building a stage out of scrap wood
for performances of "Jesus Loves Me"
and "Let It Go,"
avoiding wind-blown sawdust,
washing Bop's trailer,
and decorating the house
for a belated surprise birthday celebration-- 
Anna planned it by herself.  
She ordered blackberries 
and oranges 
and Grammy's round flower tray 
and crepe paper 
and ribbons.
Surprise!

Lucy has balancing skills

As Calvin

Lucy eating violets

(the tiger boy,
not the Presbyterian)
would say,
"The days are just packed."

  

Anna gives Nicky a bouquet of clippings

Anna and the moving seal trick