Two days ago, we heard a loud knock at our front door. James opened it and there stood six-year-old Clayton, the youngest of our neighbors' two grandsons. "Is Miss Sheryl there?" he asked. I gave him a hug. Then he handed me a brown envelope (above).
"Do you want me to open it now?" I asked. He nodded. Inside, I found a sheet of folded notebook paper with a picture of a spider that he'd drawn (below). I was so touched I got goosebumps on my legs!
"Would you and your mom like to go see a spider like this one in our back yard?" I asked him. He nodded and ran across the street.
The two of them shortly returned, and I led them to the back yard. My biggest yellow garden spider wasn't in the turks caps any more (she relocated, which they sometimes do during the night), but I showed them a smaller spider lady hanging upside down in her web among the savlias and trailing lantanas. I was so excited and happy about Clayton's gift to me that I could barely talk about how the large spiders are always females and that the much smaller males only show up long enough to mate.
Thank you, Clayton! I love the special present that you made just for me. Your thoughtfulness touched my heart, and your own love of nature makes me so very, very happy. Love, ms sheryl
1 comment:
Who knows how many budding young naturalists you've inspired (and maybe some budding "older" ones too!). Thanks for sharing this great story and the illustrations that go with it. Clayton's got quite an eye.
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