Taking time to smell the flowers

The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf

I dare you not to love this book. Just try. Pick up a copy at the library (I promise they have it) and read it to your kids. You'll find out why this story of a gentle bull has been in print for over 50 years.

Ferdinand is a sweet-tempered bull who is content to sit under his favorite tree and smell the flowers. One day some men come to his pasture looking for the fiercest bull to fight the matador. As fate would have it, a bee chooses that moment to sting Ferdinand on the nose. The men see Ferdinand's violent reaction and pick him to be in the bull ring. You can guess what happens when this gentle giant enters a ring full of flowers!

Like Ferdinand, E loves to smell - and pick - the flowers... any flowers. I think I have her pretty well trained to leave our neighbors' gardens alone, but any wildflower along the way is fair game. Her favorites are dandelions and she'll often bring home bouquets of the weed, handing them to me with pride.

Since it is spring and flowers (and weeds) are in full bloom, we created a pretty little vase for her very own. I found a sheet of striped tissue paper and cut it into small squares. Then I coated an empty spice jar with mod podge. While I held the jar, E pressed the tissue paper squares onto the glue until the sides and bottom of the jar were covered. I applied a second coat of mod podge and then printed out an "E" and framed it with a small square of construction paper. When the jar was completely dry, I mod podged a ribbon to the top.

Our azaleas are in bloom, so I tucked a few blossoms in for the picture, but I'm sure this little vase will soon proudly display a fresh bouquet of dandelions!