Mucking around in the garden!

Hiya , this weeks video is a story about Lillipop and her grandpa with their back yard safari adventure.  I recorded this in the backyard of a friends house that I was staying at, so you can hear the ducks , birds and doggos going for it!  Talk about sound effects!

However not only does the garden afford great little adventures , not sure about you but when I was a kid I used to watch ants for hours, I remember I lay on the top of the  patio balustrade which was made of cement and rather wide, obviously watching the ants, the sun , the sound of droning bees, I fell asleep, and woke up in a shock when I rolled over and promptly fell into a cactus plant at the bottom (much to my brothers delight, that anecdote went viral in our suburb thanks to them) .

That does bring back painful memories... painful .. but still... you learn where it's safe to nap! heh heh.   ah back to garden , yes it was a place of enchantment for me, especially under the large jacaranda tree which I believed housed faries,     My mother used to say I was a strange child,  I was either tearing around the garden or up in a tree reading my books... try to get me to climb a tree nowadays... HA HA HA.... no I tried... and failed... gravity is just too much! 

I hope, no my wish is for the next few generations to be able to have as much fun and joy as we had in our gardens, either messing with our dogs, bouncing a ball or just watching ants doing their thang.

Here's to nature.

luv

Dx

 

Flora's Flowers by Debi Gliori

Ok ok I'll admit it, I was leaving for a small getaway, just a couple of weeks in S.A, by the harbour, and was trying to fit in everything including recording and editing my book reading, so far I haven't been rumbled as my grandson hasn't squeaked about missing a new story! 

Anyway, you know murphy's law, anything and everything, from camera not autofocusing , batteries going dead suddenly, tripod missing, only thing that was working was my mike and even then the dog thought it was a game to try catch the cable it was attached to!  I'm just so amazed I even got one story from all that palaver !  

It's all edited to the best of my little sticky fingers, it's a sweet story about gardening and growing things, bit of a sore point with me, after the big move from the Sunny Coast to the City a lot of my plants karked it... I've tried very hard over the years to be the green thumb chick I know that  is deep  (very deep) inside of me, instead of the city chick who squeals at worms (I even touch them without a glove I tell ya... yea look at me go!) so when a plant of mine dies or can't be saved from overnight locust munch downs, it's saddens me.  Perhaps like this story I should try to grow a brick and see what happens... waddaya think?

have a lovely week yall

Dx

How do I put it on?

When I was living in Hong Kong... many many MANY moons ago.. I was in my twenties , I wouldn't try to count back if I were you! he he he., I had and still do an incredibly good friend called Ron, we partied together, travelled together, did family dinners, he was always there for me and I think with his cool calm demeanour (typical of a Lawyer) he was quite amused with my plethora of jobs (I was a DJ, and had two other part time jobs), my choice of boyfriends, my mad girlfriends, my potty mouth, my incessant talk of what I want to do (when I finally grew up) and one day, He presented me with this book. 

 I did take it to heart, I tried to gear down, and walk before I ran, but sometimes I forgot and forged ahead skipping some steps, sometimes I succeeded and sometimes I failed, but he was always there to catch me when I fell.

This is dedicated to you my dearest friend, though we are miles and miles apart, you are always in my heart.

Dx

Where does Thursday Go by Janeen Brian

I know most of us say "where has the day gone?"  or where has the "week gone?"  Time seems to fly, and then some.  My son Chris and I were having a chat and grumbling about the younguns  quoting "time is just a construct! , (he's one to talk he's a millennial!) but really we're beginning to think it is! 

 

How lovely to think you can look for a certain day, do you remember as a child 10 minutes felt like foever?!!  It's enough time for just a deep breath nowadays!

I'll keep reading these Children's books as I feel more children could use some tales with imagination with all the harshness today's reality brings.  Also it's a way for me to reach out to my grandson , something he can watch over and over whenever. 

I do hope we continue to have authors of children's books, that writing does not die out and that the pen is mightier than the sword. 

Have a great week all

Dx 

The Boy and the Toy by Sonya Hartnett read by Dx

When my children were younger (yes yes it's going back yeaaarrsss) I had very strict rules on electronic devices and robotics in the house. (though I make a lot of jokes I was very strict with the kiddos)  everyone had to leave the phones either in their rooms or at the side table for mealtimes  and at night time phones had to be docked and there was a cut off time as well for the internet.  Watching the kids, I know for a fact they loved spending time playing lego, jigsaws and monopoly with me when I was around, otherwise it was crash bandicoot or one of the other playstation games.  Many a time I caught my youngest sitting in front of the tv in the middle of the night with the volume turned down low so he wouldn't get caught! (sneaky sneaky!) .  But when it came to friends, nothing beat their buddies knocking on the door with "come and play". or "is it ok for you to come out" and the constant nagging for stayovers!, plus we always had cats and dogs and they loved their pets.  

what do you think of today's society, where they do not have the time to do all these things  or for kids who now have become so isolated due to video and online games that they would prefer to be online instead of outside, which has also become somewhat unsafe.. sigh

I think this book has a subtle prod at that and it's quite refreshing to read .  What are your thoughts on AI, will it benefit our children, grand children?  What are the guardrails for these precious young minds?

This book really made me think , and I hope it does for you.

For all the children of the world and my beloved Idris

Dx

Koala Lou by Mem Fox. A. brilliant Australian tale of the cute lil K...

A few months back the Godmother and I trekked through the wildlife park to spot a Koala who had been roaming around , however the Koala was well tucked away !  I do see lots of Roo's, goanas, all the different types of birds, wallabies , emus and what not though, strolling through the patches of land that have not been cleared for development,  it would be really horrible if Koalas become endangered as it looks like we're heading in that direction.  

In this reading Koala Lou does her best to get her mum to say "Koala Lou, I do love you" amidst the growing members of her family. follow us as we see her through the bush olympics!  

what drives me on is that I get little messages from my grandson (who is starting to read on his own) and his gleeful "Oma!  I love you"!  when I've uploaded a video.  

My love to all the children of this world, where ever you may be, my thoughts are with you, and big hugs to Idris.

Dx

Guess How Much I love you by Sam McBratney

 

This book has so many memories, the most important one is that it was given to my daughter "Ni" (as her brother calls her) by my close and very dear friend who's since passed on.  Everytime I look at it I see her cheeky grin, and the quips she made when she passed the stuffed toy that came with the book. 

It's hard to believe this book is over 3 decades old (written in 1994), and that iconic " I love you to the moon and back" can be seen etched on everything from keychains, tee shirts and even tattoos !

I hope you derive as much enjoyment from it as my kids (and I) did .  Happy Reading

Dx

A reading of Room on the Broom

I do hope you have been enjoying these hilarious stories I've been reading for my grandson Idris on my youtube channel.  I've found so much joy in being able to read and record them, as I know he gets to watch it over and over again.

Dedicated to children all over the world , big and small.

Dx

How the Owls Found Their Voices by Rodney Painter (another reading for my grandson Idris