Yesterday the girls and I cooked a pudgy pie dinner over the fire in the orchard while I continued the after pruning clean up. Things were going swimmingly, (I was the only one who burned herself) and then the marshmallows came out and we discovered a problem.
They couldn’t find a marshmallow stick. 
Let me just repeat myself. We were standing amongst 32 fruit trees that had just been pruned. I was sorting the branches into different piles, ones that were fire wood sized and ones with everything smaller. Small and large piles of brush were everywhere.
And my children, the ones I like to think are above average on all counts, could not find an appropriate sized stick with which to roast a marshmallow.
Their first sticks were short enough to be laughable under any circumstances. But look carefully at the photo below and you can see not only their very short sticks but also the giant pile of branches stacked right behind them.
Ivy attempted to convince me to cut one of my firewood logs a bit shorter for her to use for her next stick – I refused. Though I think my cousin was right when he said I should have. Just so I could have seen her try and smash her marshmallow on the end of a three inch log.
I took pity on them and sent them to a brush pile.
They still couldn’t find a stick.
It took bit more wandering in the orchard-turned-brush-maze and another hint or two from me before they came back with sticks even Jane could use.
It’s a good things spring is here, I think winter may have rotted the girls brains and we’ve got some learning to do.
Next lesson: How to find a rock…
Behind the Willows 
You have snowdrops 🙂 I love those.
I’ve never had them before, it’s going to be fun to see what other spring flowers come up at this new house!
Oh, that would be fun 🙂
I love the picture of Jane squatting by the fire.
Thanks, I used my mediocre photoshop skills to crop Ivy out of it. I tried to leave her in, but she was in such a weird half crouch, with arms out and grimace on her face that I just couldn’t make it look like she wasn’t pooping… 🙂
Happy to see someone has spring
I’m sure it will find it’s way to you eventually, you know, like in June! 🙂
Too funny!! I haven’t roasted a marshmallow in years.
It’s just that they have different criteria. 🙂
Which is all well and fine until they ask mom to roast their marshmallow with their 6 inch stick! 🙂
I think I have fallen in love with your kids….they make me smile 🙂 I’m so glad they were able to find a stick out there in the middle of “no where”! It would have been a shame to miss seeing those faces. I’m looking forward to the “lessons” they learn this summer! I can only imagine….
John and I spent all day today with a rented chipper getting rid of all the marshmallow stick piles. We had another fire tonight and I was only given one 4 inch stick as a possibility so I think we’ve made progress! 🙂
I needed a smile tonight! You put it there!
I’m glad your smiling, I hope it stays!
Loved this post and your adorable girls! It gave me my giggle for the day. I am also looking forward to hearing about their future “lessons”. Sweet photos.
Lovely story. I enjoyed following along this journey for the “right” stick!