Ziggy, Omkara, Ella and Tom adventured round the farm together today. We had not been long in the back paddock when Ella spied Pebbles the very fluffy, very friendly farm cat.
She stooped to pat her and turned round very quickly with her hands in the air announcing, 'A little mouse.' There in Ella's hands was a very tiny grey mouse.
Pebbles had just been interrupted from snacking. Apart from looking mighty shocked, the little mouse was OK. Well, as OK as a mouse can be when rescued from the jaws of a cat!
All the children gathered. How fascinating this was. Everyone wanted a hold and a pat and after the little mouse had settled some we all took turns.
Tom asked, 'What's it called?' No one knew and in a very quiet moment when we all looked on at our little friend, Ziggy announced, 'It's called Polly.'
Polly quickly recovered and all of a sudden bounced out of my hand and into the grass close by. She was ready to return to what mouses do at the farm. The children loved this. They watched and followed and wanted to play with her some more as she skittered and jumped and ran this way and that.
Ella crouched down and quick as a flash, there was Polly in her hands again ... ... all eyes on the watch for Pebbles who was quietly circling us at a reasonable distance.
The children all embarked on their own mission to save Polly. No matter what I had to say, she was coming with us. Off we went into the 'Witches Garden' our little sanctuary down the back of the farm.
It wasn't long before little Polly was placed on the ground, legs asplay and looking a little stressed, that second wind had gone. Ella looked and announced, 'She's a little bit tired.'
We let her rest and played and Ella would come back and look and say, 'She's still tired.' The boys noticing her heaving as she breathed. All decided that it was best we left her there and our day continued.
... ...only to bring us back to the same spot later in the day to find little Polly being danced on by ants.
Ella announced, 'She's asleep with ants on her.' Omkara looked and considered and said, 'No, she's not asleep, I think she's not alive.' Tom had a peep and agreed. Ziggy by this time had gone home for the day. Together the boys realised that Polly was no longer alive with Ella insisting if we let her sleep she'd get better.
Tom and Omkara tree climbing a little later in the day
Finally we all decided a little hole in the ground under a nearby tree was a good place for a little mouse like Polly to be. Together we dug and prepared it and laid her in. Gently the children placed soil on top. Talk bounced to and fro about what she'd do under the ground and how she had a house and somewhere safe to be.
Once all was done and things settled for a quiet moment, Ella announced with a little finger in the air, 'Just five minutes and she'll be all better and we can get her out of the dirt.'
The magic of being at the farm is about things like this, unexpected, totally natural, children enquiring and finding it all out together.
... and the fact, that along with this we fitted in soo..oo...ooo much more during our day. Guinea pig cuddles, visiting the sheep, looking for eggs, playing in the sand, walking and walking, talking and talking a picnic ... ... no two, a climb of the peppercorn tree and visit to the pigs, climbing and sliding on a hill that became a ship on the ocean where great adventure prevailed ... ... who wouldn't want to spend a day at the farm and company as wonderful as this.
