It was one of the rare warm afternoons of early. Two towheaded children sat on the wooden porch outside a moderate sized farmhouse. The girl's hair was braided in pigtails and she was playing with the end of one. The boy sat scowling his shaking the blonde curls his mom had just finished cutting. After their hair cuts Sarah and Rose had shoved Ami and Craig out the door to play.
"Craig watch her don't go running off, Ami is only 3 and you have to be nice to her." Rose told Craig as they sat on the porch.
"She's a girl, can't she stay with you?" Craig pouted giving Ami a dirty look as he spoke.
"No now be nice and you can have some milk and corn bread." Rose decided to try to bribe her young son.
"Okay, come on baby we going to go play with Rory." Craig grabbed Ami's hand but she pulled back.
"Ise not baby." Her lower lip stuck out.
"Okay you not a baby but we gonna play with Rory."
"Fine. Play with Rory." Ami started to walk after Craig as they walked toward the large dog sitting next to the open barn door.
Rory, a big, but gentle, mixed breed dog, was not as thrilled as either child was, but being an older dog took the attention that they lavished upon him. But soon both children were tired of the game of playing with the dog. "Ami wanna play tag?" Craig figured that he could win.
"Sure." Ami grinned and began running. Craig was surprised how fast she was able to run and soon they had traded back and forth who was it a couple of time. Ami went to sit down next to the woodpile a little out of breath. Craig came and sat down next to her. They didn't stay seated for long though. Ami screamed first and Craig soon raised his voice in chorus.
Sarah and Rose ran out of the house, water dripping from their hands when they saw Ami and Craig both bit back screams of their own. There sat Ami and Craig surrounded by a swarm of bees. By this time Lawrence and Sid had heard their kids screams and had come racing in from the field with 7 year old Crale behind them. Sid and Larry grabbed both children from where they sat, stripped them, beat off the bees and raced over to the water pump. Sid had Crale pump as much water as he could while they smothered the children in mud trying to cool the stings of the bees.
It took some time but soon both Ami and Craig had stopped screaming and stood covered from head to toe in mud. All that stood out was their eyes and the tips of their noses. Ami's green eyes filled with tears when she saw Sarah's sniffling face. Craig was taking it all like a man and hadn't cried since the mud had been slapped on to the welts. They stood like that in the yard until the mud dried. Then slowly and carefully Sarah and Rose began to peal off the dried dirt and wash their skin before putting on a mustard poultice.
Sid and Larry went to work clearing out the bees nest from the wood pile and while they didn't say it both Rose and Sarah were excited at the prospect of having honey, even if it had been at the pain of their children. Ami and Craig on the other hand were soon tucked into their beds and carefully monitored. After the original swelling went down neither did seem worse for wear but when ever they went outside they were careful to avoid the wood pile.
Soon even the fears of being stung left the minds of the two children as they played in the early fall day. Craig was a bit excited, as it was his first year of school. Ami on the other hand wasn't as excited. She was losing her playmate and would be left at home with only her baby brother Wil as company. This really didn't appeal to her at all she saw him as a nuisance rather than a playmate and was quite instant that she should be able to go to school with the big boys.
Her mama promised when she was 5 she could go, but that was forever from now so Ami clung to Craig's side like glue and never let him out of her sight for a minute. She did want him disappearing before she could say goodbye. She also didn't think it was fair. She and Craig had done everything together why couldn't she go to school with him. Unfortunately, for Ami the day did come when her best friend had to leave for school.
Mama and Aunt Rose tried to make it better by letting her help out around the house, but Ami liked that even less. Finally Mama said it was time for the boys to come home, Ami raced to the lane and waited till the boys came over the hill before launching herself at them both and demanding that they tell her everything. Crale swung her up onto his shoulders while Craig went on and on about his first day.
Ami was happy that they didn't seem to forget about her, and soon was demanding that Craig teach her want he had learned. Soon the student became the teacher and by the time it was finally Ami's turn to go with the boys off to school and leave behind Wil she was ready to start. Not only was she excited at the prospect of new friends, but she was also going to get to learn all the fun stuff Craig and Crale got to learn too.
It was one of the rare warm afternoons of early. Two towheaded children sat on the wooden porch outside a moderate sized farmhouse. The girl's hair was braided in pigtails and she was playing with the end of one. The boy sat scowling his shaking the blonde curls his mom had just finished cutting. After their hair cuts Sarah and Rose had shoved Ami and Craig out the door to play.
"Craig watch her don't go running off, Ami is only 3 and you have to be nice to her." Rose told Craig as they sat on the porch.
"She's a girl, can't she stay with you?" Craig pouted giving Ami a dirty look as he spoke.
"No now be nice and you can have some milk and corn bread." Rose decided to try to bribe her young son.
"Okay, come on baby we going to go play with Rory." Craig grabbed Ami's hand but she pulled back.
"Ise not baby." Her lower lip stuck out.
"Okay you not a baby but we gonna play with Rory."
"Fine. Play with Rory." Ami started to walk after Craig as they walked toward the large dog sitting next to the open barn door.
Rory, a big, but gentle, mixed breed dog, was not as thrilled as either child was, but being an older dog took the attention that they lavished upon him. But soon both children were tired of the game of playing with the dog. "Ami wanna play tag?" Craig figured that he could win.
"Sure." Ami grinned and began running. Craig was surprised how fast she was able to run and soon they had traded back and forth who was it a couple of time. Ami went to sit down next to the woodpile a little out of breath. Craig came and sat down next to her. They didn't stay seated for long though. Ami screamed first and Craig soon raised his voice in chorus.
Sarah and Rose ran out of the house, water dripping from their hands when they saw Ami and Craig both bit back screams of their own. There sat Ami and Craig surrounded by a swarm of bees. By this time Lawrence and Sid had heard their kids screams and had come racing in from the field with 7 year old Crale behind them. Sid and Larry grabbed both children from where they sat, stripped them, beat off the bees and raced over to the water pump. Sid had Crale pump as much water as he could while they smothered the children in mud trying to cool the stings of the bees.
It took some time but soon both Ami and Craig had stopped screaming and stood covered from head to toe in mud. All that stood out was their eyes and the tips of their noses. Ami's green eyes filled with tears when she saw Sarah's sniffling face. Craig was taking it all like a man and hadn't cried since the mud had been slapped on to the welts. They stood like that in the yard until the mud dried. Then slowly and carefully Sarah and Rose began to peal off the dried dirt and wash their skin before putting on a mustard poultice.
Sid and Larry went to work clearing out the bees nest from the wood pile and while they didn't say it both Rose and Sarah were excited at the prospect of having honey, even if it had been at the pain of their children. Ami and Craig on the other hand were soon tucked into their beds and carefully monitored. After the original swelling went down neither did seem worse for wear but when ever they went outside they were careful to avoid the wood pile.
Soon even the fears of being stung left the minds of the two children as they played in the early fall day. Craig was a bit excited, as it was his first year of school. Ami on the other hand wasn't as excited. She was losing her playmate and would be left at home with only her baby brother Wil as company. This really didn't appeal to her at all she saw him as a nuisance rather than a playmate and was quite instant that she should be able to go to school with the big boys.
Her mama promised when she was 5 she could go, but that was forever from now so Ami clung to Craig's side like glue and never let him out of her sight for a minute. She did want him disappearing before she could say goodbye. She also didn't think it was fair. She and Craig had done everything together why couldn't she go to school with him. Unfortunately, for Ami the day did come when her best friend had to leave for school.
Mama and Aunt Rose tried to make it better by letting her help out around the house, but Ami liked that even less. Finally Mama said it was time for the boys to come home, Ami raced to the lane and waited till the boys came over the hill before launching herself at them both and demanding that they tell her everything. Crale swung her up onto his shoulders while Craig went on and on about his first day.
Ami was happy that they didn't seem to forget about her, and soon was demanding that Craig teach her want he had learned. Soon the student became the teacher and by the time it was finally Ami's turn to go with the boys off to school and leave behind Wil she was ready to start. Not only was she excited at the prospect of new friends, but she was also going to get to learn all the fun stuff Craig and Crale got to learn too.
AN: The bee thing is real, I have the fear of bees to prove it. Well actually Craig's mom drove my mom, me and Craig to the clinic to get checked out, we didn't get slathered in mud. That I stole from one of the Little House Books, I am not sure which one though. No infringement was meant.
"Craig watch her don't go running off, Ami is only 3 and you have to be nice to her." Rose told Craig as they sat on the porch.
"She's a girl, can't she stay with you?" Craig pouted giving Ami a dirty look as he spoke.
"No now be nice and you can have some milk and corn bread." Rose decided to try to bribe her young son.
"Okay, come on baby we going to go play with Rory." Craig grabbed Ami's hand but she pulled back.
"Ise not baby." Her lower lip stuck out.
"Okay you not a baby but we gonna play with Rory."
"Fine. Play with Rory." Ami started to walk after Craig as they walked toward the large dog sitting next to the open barn door.
Rory, a big, but gentle, mixed breed dog, was not as thrilled as either child was, but being an older dog took the attention that they lavished upon him. But soon both children were tired of the game of playing with the dog. "Ami wanna play tag?" Craig figured that he could win.
"Sure." Ami grinned and began running. Craig was surprised how fast she was able to run and soon they had traded back and forth who was it a couple of time. Ami went to sit down next to the woodpile a little out of breath. Craig came and sat down next to her. They didn't stay seated for long though. Ami screamed first and Craig soon raised his voice in chorus.
Sarah and Rose ran out of the house, water dripping from their hands when they saw Ami and Craig both bit back screams of their own. There sat Ami and Craig surrounded by a swarm of bees. By this time Lawrence and Sid had heard their kids screams and had come racing in from the field with 7 year old Crale behind them. Sid and Larry grabbed both children from where they sat, stripped them, beat off the bees and raced over to the water pump. Sid had Crale pump as much water as he could while they smothered the children in mud trying to cool the stings of the bees.
It took some time but soon both Ami and Craig had stopped screaming and stood covered from head to toe in mud. All that stood out was their eyes and the tips of their noses. Ami's green eyes filled with tears when she saw Sarah's sniffling face. Craig was taking it all like a man and hadn't cried since the mud had been slapped on to the welts. They stood like that in the yard until the mud dried. Then slowly and carefully Sarah and Rose began to peal off the dried dirt and wash their skin before putting on a mustard poultice.
Sid and Larry went to work clearing out the bees nest from the wood pile and while they didn't say it both Rose and Sarah were excited at the prospect of having honey, even if it had been at the pain of their children. Ami and Craig on the other hand were soon tucked into their beds and carefully monitored. After the original swelling went down neither did seem worse for wear but when ever they went outside they were careful to avoid the wood pile.
Soon even the fears of being stung left the minds of the two children as they played in the early fall day. Craig was a bit excited, as it was his first year of school. Ami on the other hand wasn't as excited. She was losing her playmate and would be left at home with only her baby brother Wil as company. This really didn't appeal to her at all she saw him as a nuisance rather than a playmate and was quite instant that she should be able to go to school with the big boys.
Her mama promised when she was 5 she could go, but that was forever from now so Ami clung to Craig's side like glue and never let him out of her sight for a minute. She did want him disappearing before she could say goodbye. She also didn't think it was fair. She and Craig had done everything together why couldn't she go to school with him. Unfortunately, for Ami the day did come when her best friend had to leave for school.
Mama and Aunt Rose tried to make it better by letting her help out around the house, but Ami liked that even less. Finally Mama said it was time for the boys to come home, Ami raced to the lane and waited till the boys came over the hill before launching herself at them both and demanding that they tell her everything. Crale swung her up onto his shoulders while Craig went on and on about his first day.
Ami was happy that they didn't seem to forget about her, and soon was demanding that Craig teach her want he had learned. Soon the student became the teacher and by the time it was finally Ami's turn to go with the boys off to school and leave behind Wil she was ready to start. Not only was she excited at the prospect of new friends, but she was also going to get to learn all the fun stuff Craig and Crale got to learn too.
It was one of the rare warm afternoons of early. Two towheaded children sat on the wooden porch outside a moderate sized farmhouse. The girl's hair was braided in pigtails and she was playing with the end of one. The boy sat scowling his shaking the blonde curls his mom had just finished cutting. After their hair cuts Sarah and Rose had shoved Ami and Craig out the door to play.
"Craig watch her don't go running off, Ami is only 3 and you have to be nice to her." Rose told Craig as they sat on the porch.
"She's a girl, can't she stay with you?" Craig pouted giving Ami a dirty look as he spoke.
"No now be nice and you can have some milk and corn bread." Rose decided to try to bribe her young son.
"Okay, come on baby we going to go play with Rory." Craig grabbed Ami's hand but she pulled back.
"Ise not baby." Her lower lip stuck out.
"Okay you not a baby but we gonna play with Rory."
"Fine. Play with Rory." Ami started to walk after Craig as they walked toward the large dog sitting next to the open barn door.
Rory, a big, but gentle, mixed breed dog, was not as thrilled as either child was, but being an older dog took the attention that they lavished upon him. But soon both children were tired of the game of playing with the dog. "Ami wanna play tag?" Craig figured that he could win.
"Sure." Ami grinned and began running. Craig was surprised how fast she was able to run and soon they had traded back and forth who was it a couple of time. Ami went to sit down next to the woodpile a little out of breath. Craig came and sat down next to her. They didn't stay seated for long though. Ami screamed first and Craig soon raised his voice in chorus.
Sarah and Rose ran out of the house, water dripping from their hands when they saw Ami and Craig both bit back screams of their own. There sat Ami and Craig surrounded by a swarm of bees. By this time Lawrence and Sid had heard their kids screams and had come racing in from the field with 7 year old Crale behind them. Sid and Larry grabbed both children from where they sat, stripped them, beat off the bees and raced over to the water pump. Sid had Crale pump as much water as he could while they smothered the children in mud trying to cool the stings of the bees.
It took some time but soon both Ami and Craig had stopped screaming and stood covered from head to toe in mud. All that stood out was their eyes and the tips of their noses. Ami's green eyes filled with tears when she saw Sarah's sniffling face. Craig was taking it all like a man and hadn't cried since the mud had been slapped on to the welts. They stood like that in the yard until the mud dried. Then slowly and carefully Sarah and Rose began to peal off the dried dirt and wash their skin before putting on a mustard poultice.
Sid and Larry went to work clearing out the bees nest from the wood pile and while they didn't say it both Rose and Sarah were excited at the prospect of having honey, even if it had been at the pain of their children. Ami and Craig on the other hand were soon tucked into their beds and carefully monitored. After the original swelling went down neither did seem worse for wear but when ever they went outside they were careful to avoid the wood pile.
Soon even the fears of being stung left the minds of the two children as they played in the early fall day. Craig was a bit excited, as it was his first year of school. Ami on the other hand wasn't as excited. She was losing her playmate and would be left at home with only her baby brother Wil as company. This really didn't appeal to her at all she saw him as a nuisance rather than a playmate and was quite instant that she should be able to go to school with the big boys.
Her mama promised when she was 5 she could go, but that was forever from now so Ami clung to Craig's side like glue and never let him out of her sight for a minute. She did want him disappearing before she could say goodbye. She also didn't think it was fair. She and Craig had done everything together why couldn't she go to school with him. Unfortunately, for Ami the day did come when her best friend had to leave for school.
Mama and Aunt Rose tried to make it better by letting her help out around the house, but Ami liked that even less. Finally Mama said it was time for the boys to come home, Ami raced to the lane and waited till the boys came over the hill before launching herself at them both and demanding that they tell her everything. Crale swung her up onto his shoulders while Craig went on and on about his first day.
Ami was happy that they didn't seem to forget about her, and soon was demanding that Craig teach her want he had learned. Soon the student became the teacher and by the time it was finally Ami's turn to go with the boys off to school and leave behind Wil she was ready to start. Not only was she excited at the prospect of new friends, but she was also going to get to learn all the fun stuff Craig and Crale got to learn too.
AN: The bee thing is real, I have the fear of bees to prove it. Well actually Craig's mom drove my mom, me and Craig to the clinic to get checked out, we didn't get slathered in mud. That I stole from one of the Little House Books, I am not sure which one though. No infringement was meant.