This is my medicine pouch, holding things special to me in my Scouting experience, and the beads are memory beads, each one representing some event in my Scout life. The small blue bead represents this past weekend where I was to teach the craft section.
I will not repeat the story here but when I heard there were 200 walking sticks and six classes of 30 Cubs each, and the idea was to take magic markers and "decorate" those sticks in the appointed time (One hour and ten minutes) I knew there had to be a better plan or we would be facing a lot of weaponry. Even Nikko shuddered at the thought of those sticks in the hands of so many Cub-age kids.
What started out with rain on the windshield turned into a lovely night and sunny day. I was up past midnight prepping feathers and returned home with not much voice left for Sunday's singing. (reciting the story and instructions to a large group ... and the attending parents... and leading the campfire singing kind of pushed the limit, as I was afraid it might)
A long meeting and an even longer ride home added to my + and x blocks ... now up to 193.
There was some kind of matsuri with slow-moving portable shrines that completely stopped all traffic for nearly an additional hour. I could have gotten off the bus and walked, had I known!
While I was at camp, I almost missed the flowers at home. Several cacti are putting on a show.
These flowers only last a day or two.
These too...
These form a halo around the top of the cactus for many days.
And the cymbidium on my roof has begun to bloom. I have four pots but the winter was very harsh and I didn't think I would see any flowers this year. Now, that is the kind of surprise I can deal with.
Boys with sticks? That takes a whole lot more doing!
I enjoy your blog so much and I especially found your scouting blog so interesting and can relate to your worry about mass bedlam with time on their hands. You are quite creative and I admire your spunk!! The story was cute and I would have liked to see the project in action. Do the cub scouts speak English or do you speak Japanese?? Keep up the wonderful work you are doing. I am sure those kids have many happy memories of this day.
ReplyDeleteMe too, I so enjoy your tales, seeing all the new scout adventures and projects, and the flowers, Ilike the last one so much. Your spring must surely be with you now. We have some snow in the far south, and colder nights where I am. Cheers from Jean in NZ
ReplyDeleteHello Julie!!
ReplyDeleteWonderful story and the cacti are so beautiful!!
Hugs, sandra
The pouches were a wonderful idea and I love the cactus flowers, really nice blooms.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
the flowers are beautiful xx
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you had the boys with sticks and I didn't. :) The flowers are gorgeous as are your + and - blocks! blessings, marlene
ReplyDeleteBoys with sticks - oh my - so glad that you survived! Still loving those X and + blocks. So much fun Lovely flowers too - cacti know how to do a good flower don't they!
ReplyDeleteWell done on pre-empting the boys with sticks scenario - that's the value of experience! Love the flowers Julie especially the cymbidium, such a delicate range of colour.
ReplyDeleteBoys with sticks and, in general, communication with children - allow us to be younger... in soul :) Cactuses are delightful!
ReplyDeleteWe were in Spain in the Garden of cactuses. It was unreal view!
Wonderful flower pics - so happy to see your + and x progressing so nicely!
ReplyDeleteHugs - Lurline!
There's a dangerous combination - boys + sticks.
ReplyDeleteYou have some gorgeous flowers!