I Hadn't Anticipated the Elves

We had Story Hour at Dog Ears Books yesterday afternoon, as part of the Merchants Open House day in Northport, and my friend Susan Cordes came to help out at the sales counter while I read to the kids. I’d never have the energy to be a kindergarten teacher, but it was lovely having the little ones inch closer and closer and closer until they were practically in my lap as the reading progressed, their noses almost touching the pages of the big, bright picture books I was trying to hold up so that everyone (as parents kept reminding the eager beavers) could see. Fun! What I hadn't expected was that we would have elves at Story Time. These two young ladies came over from Brew North and added quite a note of festive color to the occasion. As for the kids listening to stories, there was no way I could read to them and take pictures of them at the same time, but I can tell you what books we shared: What Pete Ate From A - Z (Really!), by Maira Kalman; Children Make Terrible Pets, by Peter Brown; City Dog, Country Frog, by Mo Willems; wrapping up with The Bump on Santa's Noggin, by Jeffrey L. Schatzer.


Now it’s Sunday evening, and I’ve taken a real day off. The dog girl and I went out for a good hour in the wooded dunes, while the sun was shining brightly. Sarah carefully sniffed each branch and twig and fern overhanging the path, places where other animals had passed by and left their scent. I enjoyed spotting tracks in the sand and traces showing where the wind had been during the night.





No deep thoughts today. Day of rest. More pictures of dunes here.