Springtime In Hedgerow

There's a buzz going round the Village today
with the mummies all busy and children at play.
Tomorrow will be the first day of Spring
when the Blackbirds and Larks will joyfully sing
getting their nest prepared for their young
up in the tree tops, warm in the sun.

Cyril the Squirrel and Reggie the Rat
were busily tunneling in the haystack,
when Millie the Mole and Vicky the Vole
came running over, and laughed at their hole!
'What are you doing? What is it for?'
they giggled so much they fell on the floor!

'We are making a den,' Cyril replied,
'and if you stop laughing, you're welcome inside.
As it's now Spring and the birds will build nests,
we thought we would too, but ours will be best!'
'That's a super idea!' Millie said with delight,
'We would love to come in, if you're sure it's alright.'

Then Timmy and Tommy appeared from nowhere
saying, 'Hello, you lot! What's happening in there?'
'This is our den, do you want to come in?
There is plenty of room.' Reggie said with a grin.
Timmy and Tommy then crawled inside,
and Reggie and Cyril were beaming with pride!

'Isn't tomorrow going to be fun?'
said Millie, excitedly, to everyone,
'painting our eggs, I just cannot wait.'
And Vicky replied, 'It's going to be great.
I just love the Spring, it's such a fun time,
and I can't wait either to get started on mine.'

Down in the Village, inside Hedgerow School
Miss Freda the Frog went into the hall.
She counted the tables she needed outside
and also the chairs she had put to one side.
In the morning the tables would be ready to lay
all the paint pots and brushes for egg painting day.

Now, Harriet the Hen was clucking away,
counting the eggs she had laid through the day.
'I should think that is plenty,' she smiled to herself,
as she picked them up gently, to put on the shelf.
Then turning, she saw Mummy Mouse in the lane
and went over to rap on the shop window pane.

Mummy Mouse smiled when she entered the shop,
and said, 'Harriet, how many eggs have you got?'
Harriet grinned, 'I've got quite a few,
enough for each child, and some over, too!
They need to be boiled, I'll do them tonight,
I'll make sure they're ready, tomorrow, first light.'

Early next morning when the Moon went to bed
and the Sun woke up, and shone overhead,
Harriet came out with her basket so full
of hard boiled eggs, to take up to the school.
She glanced at the time, she couldn't be late,
Mummy Mouse would be waiting at the school gate.

Miss Freda the Frog, the teacher, was there,
out in the playground, putting out chairs.
The tables were laid, with pots of bright paint,
brushes and tissues and lots of tin plates.
'Now just the eggs, and then everything's done
for the children to come, to paint and have fun.'

Once the eggs had arrived, and the children were there,
the painting began and it went everywhere!
Not just on the eggs, but paint on their face,
paint in their hair, and all over the place!
Everyone laughed, when Timmy Mouse said,
'Can I have one more...and eat it instead?'

Now that the painting of eggs was complete
they all went to choose a chocolate treat.
Cyril the Squirrel chose one filled with nuts,
remembering to say, 'Thanks very much!'
Timmy and Tommy chose theirs filled with cheese,
and Millie the Mole said, 'Same for me, please!'

When Vicky came up to the table for hers,
she asked Reggie to choose which one he would prefer.
He looked at each one, some big and some small,
saying, he didn't mind...because he liked them all!
It was such a good time that they all had that day,
and they ended it back in their den in the hay!