The Wishing Tree

This occupied the girls for nearly a whole day.  Grace and Nina stuck a stick in the ground.  Ruby decided it could be a wishing tree.  They all added special objects that hold magical powers: a locket, a mirror, a bell, and jar of gold flakes, a whistle, worry dolls, a miniature disco ball (of course).

A stone, painted in white runes, was placed on an 'altar'.  Pablo, our elderly cairn terrier, was unfazed by the abundant magical powers of the tree.

Rules were written.  I especially like "Then WISH! Wish with all your might.  After your wish STAND UP and put the rock on the plastic container.  Then thank us and go home." 

Perhaps we would all be better served if everything came with such concise yet complete instructions.  I'm allergic to 'mission statements', to 'learning outcomes', to 'facilitating' 'experiences' for 'relevant stakeholders'.  If kids wrote the rules, the mission statement for the library it would be 'Read a book.  Then bring it back'.  Kinder would be 'Play with other kids without your mum there'.  School would be 'Learn things and be kind to others'.  Wouldn't that be nice?

The spot which says "please do not take away" should have contained a silver whistle which one could 'blow hardly if there is an emergency'.  Someone obviously didn't read the rules - Lily dropped the whistle into the toilet.