How sweet!

On Wednesday I was under the Peppercorn trees where Carly's gang usually meet in the morning with Harvey, Pepper, Omkara, Finn and Samson.

The children were absolutely loving each others company and harmony prevailed in their enthusiastic play.

They kept climbing under the tables and making cubbies and plans and then would split up ... ... some would be under one table, some under the other.  They'd do visits and play some more and all be under one table again and then the other.  The buzz of great fun and great adventure was loud.

At one point Pepper, Finn and Harvey suddenly walked over the fence at the close by chook pens and as they muttered away, Harvey said, 'Yeah, let's go to Sugarland.'

Now I was intrigued, 'Sugarland'.  Sounds like a child's idea of paradise.

The three amigos walked round the corner of the chook pen ... (this is where I wish the blog had a little tool where I could draw you a map) ... anyway, they went round the corner, bobbed down behind a bush and I was hooked.

I had to go and see 'Sugarland' for myself.

Finn turned and saw me coming and said, 'Oh, oh ... ' and I rounded the corner to see Harvey and Pepper squatting facing each other and four blue eyes looked up to see me.  Harvey looking to straight at me said, 'Hi danella.' ... ... and Pepper looked up with two fingers scooped right inside a sugar jar,(one from the farm cafe that was on table they'd been playing under) and little sugar crystals round the corner of her mouth.

'Sugarland' was more literal than I realised!

I'd also totally missed how it happened ...

I got the kids to put the lid on the sugar and talked to them about the sugar being for the people who come to have coffee at the cafe ... ... and Tom and all the cafe folk care that it stays on the table and stays clean ... ... keeps things happy at the farm if people can find sugar when they need it for their coffee.

A moment or two consideration and a big sigh and, 'Ok.' came my way.  We went to put the sugar back and the children chatted on,  they talked about liking sugar and how it tastes good in cakes and all listened to each other sugar knowledge and experience.

Pepper suddenly looked my way with a most urgent question, 'How did you know?'

... and I got what she was asking even though the conversation was in full swing amongst the kids.

I answered, 'I didn't Pepper, I just heard Harvey say, 'Yeah let's go to Sugarland and I had to go see it for myself.'