GrandDad had said 'go out and play' ... so they had - off to
the coppice at the back of house ... into the shady glades, away from the glare
of the midday sun.
They'd grabbed the bag of wools ... chosen different
colours, pulling the balls through the trees, dashing around tying themselves
and the branches in knots, creating coloured spider's webs ...
... they were all enjoying themselves, thrusting around the under-branches,
unaware of being caught on the hooks ... as they unravelled more wool
determined to use it all up ...
... who is that cackling with croaky happiness ... two tied
up with their own yarn, another two to haul in ... 'come my little delights ...
ah ha, yesh ... into my web you come' ...
... all four were swinging high above ... high above ...
'granddad, granddad ...' they all called ... screaming blue murder with high
pitched voices ...
Grand-Dad .... Grand-Dad ... back in the house - he suddenly
awoke from his slumbers ... so pleased his grandchildren had, for once, left him
alone to zizz quietly ...
... yet where did they go - oh yes into the coppice ... but
what horrors lurked in the woods ... he had had a disturbing dream ... where
was his wife's wool bag - the balls of wool she needed to keep her calm ...
... those kids had wandered off ... he could see the threads
leading into the wood - ah well ... they'd have to unravel their play ... and
he thought, if necessary, he'd have to take his wife out to get some more ...
so she had something to knit with ...
That dream though ... that woman ... who was she - and where
did his imagination dredge these stories from ...
He called his grandchildren - tea-time you lot ... come on
in ... and they happily came across the lawn with unravelled yarn all over them
... and the dog ... Grampay guffawed with laughter, they thankfully joined in with
him ... giving him big loving hugs ...
The moral of the story ... watch your afternoon naps - you
never know what might be lurking in the woods ...
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
62 comments:
Forgot this bit ... now I'm doing it ... and ticking the receive email box to get the emails in ...
Hi Hilary!
You made it. What an image - children going wild with yarn in the coppice while Grandpa naps. I'm glad nothing drastic happened! A colorful tale. Thanks for participating as always. Love your support!
A joyful tale of play. Good thing grandpa was only dreaming. Lovely pictures to go along with the story. Loved it!
I had envisioned an old hag with a taste for little humans. Glad it was only a figment of imagination. I liked the way you blended the innocent playing with the threat of danger. A pleasure to read, Hilary!
So relieved it was only a dream! You had me there for a minute. I thought it would turn out terribly dark and creepy with some malevolent character gobbling them up or something. Well done!
I would love to have seen the children grabbing different coloured wools, pulling the balls through the trees, dashing around the branches and creating coloured spider's webs! You see how creative children can be, when left to their own devices!!! I hope the wools were not needed for some other, more serious task :)
LOL! I enjoy an afternoon nap (and I'm not even a grandfather) but I'll think twice in future :)
Oh-oh. It was a dream, right? I hope it was a dream. Just in case, I wouldn't recommend anyone to play with yarn in the woods.
Thank goodness it was just a guilt ridden dream! A very cool fairy tale though.
Luckily it was a colorful dream! Can't imagine if it would be real kids playing with wool...
I got very, very anxious reading this. Perhaps Grandpa needs less cheese before his nap. And what a great twist on a very familiar tale.
Some say it was just a dream.
Yet what lurks deep within
the children’s souls?
A new variant on yarn bombing!
Great images Hilary - really made me smile when it turns out it is only a dream - saved by the bell.
Loved this Hilary -it gripped me from the beginning - a great yarn! :-) X
Well, those yarns would look a lot like what guerilla knitters leave on light poles, eh? Nice accompanying pictures!
very clever yarn and I like the twist - glad the kids aren't twisting in the wind. Good story
A yarn to weave indeed. Poor grandpa and his dreams. Sometimes those midafternoon naps come with risk :)
Elsie
I really enjoyed reading your tales. It had a hearty bounce that made me laugh.
Excellent.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G
@ Denise - scraped in to the time frame - thanks for the push ... it was fun to write up - though, before your push, was about to be re-written! Glad to be here, and to support ...
@ Yolanda - the woman inspired me ... she's just so wonderful with her fish hooks. Many thanks ... it is fun to imagine ...
@ DG - well you were right ... she's not so old haggy though - but I did like the art when I saw it - matched the prompt. Glad you enjoyed it ...
@ Nila - well I should think Grandpa was too ... and I'm sure it could have been turned into a horror tale - but with that buxom woman drawing her in ... unlikely!
@ Hels - I could imagine it happening ... we used to have a coppice with low hanging branches ... so we could have wrapped the wool around. I'd thought the wools would have helped GrandMa's senility ... she could knit away and would be happy ... hence the need to probably get more wool ...
@ Ian - oh yes ... those easy naps with worrying dreams sometimes ... I can feel a few summer zizzes coming up!
@ Olga - yes ... it was a dream - but you're probably right: leave grandma's yarn safely at home!!
@ Donna - I guess it could have been a guilt ridden dream - or a desire for the buxom lady - but thanks for enjoying it ...
@ Weekend Windup - harking back to the good old days of childhood ... I think we could have done that ...
@ EC - yes that might solve grandpa's problem for his afternoon nap ... but how often we zizz off and suddenly awake having had some mini shock awakening: I don't remember my dreams ... but I know many who do.
@ Desk49 - I am unable to rhyme my reply ... but who knows what I'll dream up during the day. Children's souls ... so much that gets hidden and lost over time ...
@ Anabel - it was another take - that is for sure ... the poster inspired me in this direction ...
@ Fil - thanks ... I loved that woman with her fish hooks ... and I was probably saved by my brain telling me I had to twist the tale somehow - thanks!
@ Deborah - it was fun to write up and to think of doing that when we were kids ... thank you ...
@ Sue - yes ... it was inspired by yarn bombing and that buxom lady with her hooks ... thanks ...
@ Joanne - well I had to get the children down somehow - glad my brain twisted to Grandpa's dream ...
@ Elsie - to me, it wasn't an easy prompt ... but thought processes develop ... and yes napping is a risk, when other things beckon to be done ...
@ Pat - delighted that you enjoyed your happy read through ... bouncing along - appreciate your thoughts ...
Cheers to you all - I'll be over soon - Hilary
I think you've discovered a new trending in parenting: Each child unravels yarn to show where they went. These days, it could even be virtual.
Love, Hilary.
It was fun to read your tale, with a bit of a feel of legends in your northwoods. Loved the read, it warmed my heart
He dreamed it! Although if he wanted to get rid of the grandkids, that would've worked well. (Just kidding.)
I wonder what the tree would think of a well-knit scarf.
Quite a fun idea and story! I could see this going terribly wrong.
@ Jacqui - I was worried about the buxom lady ... well I think my knitted attachments might be better than those harnesses ... yet I suppose someone would hang themselves and I'd be off to the prison yard ....
@ Steve - thank you ... the coppice was from my Surrey childhood days ... but could so easily be from here - plenty more northwoods around.
@ Alex - thankfully the dream came to my brain! The story needed to stop ... but yes balls of wool could hold youngsters ... yet I suspect some might end up being tied up in knots ...
@ Liz - there are trees that have knitting around them ... so certainly a well-knitted scarf would work wonders ...
@ Shannon - thank you ... it could so easily go wrong couldn't it - thankfully he woke up ...
Cheers and thanks so much for calling in and commenting - Hilary
Move over Steven King.
I loved this!
I enjoyed this very much.
Fun tale Hilary - all that tension unwinding to a happy ending.
Maybe Granddad had a tot of tipple in his tea at lunchtime! Nice one Hilary.
@ Sandra - thanks ... but I think probably Stephen King would still win!! However appreciate the fun thought ...
@ Arleen - that's great ... thank you ...
@ Deborah - it's an amusing thought ... being wound up by wool - but I'm glad the dream came about!
@ Keith - he just might have done ... equally he might just need a nap ... thank you ..
Cheers to you all - it was hot here - today it is cool - have good weekends - Hilary
Whew! I was afraid you'd gone over to the Dark Side. Even when the kids came running out of the woods, I half expected them to be "changed"... like in "Pet Cemetery." I'm glad it was just a scary Grandpa dream. (But I will heed the warning... Smarticus takes a nap every afternoon, but I remain vigilant. HA!)
Have a super weekend. Cheers!
Love the pic of the mask! :)
well done GBM. quite a colorful yarn. fun read. cool pics too.
Love this, Such a shame things like that do not happen any more. The mobile phone seems to have taken over children's lives these days. I have only recently even got one and I am determined it will not take over my life!! I almost always forget it anyway! Have a good weekend Diane
Oh my gosh, Hilary, what a fun adventure. Your blog is always so colorful and fun. Thanks so much for sharing this little adventure with your followers. It is truly wonderful. All best to you, my dear!
What a delightful story Hilary. Glad it was just a dream though. Must watch out for those naps! :)
@ Susan - no ... that would have stretched my imagination and made the story too long - it had to end. Oh good ... watching out while Smarticus naps happily seems to be wise ...
@ Mark - thanks ... I too rather liked the mask, so he had to go in = and was found next to his buxom lady poster ...
@ Lenny - thanks ... I keep thinking about those balls of wool being wound around in the branches of the trees ... glad you enjoyed it ...
@ Diane - I know life without tv, or mobile phones, or computers I guess - I suspect I'll be using mine more - once I get it organised ... which I can do now - then I'll communicate with the 'youngsters' over at the farm via the phone ...
I don't carry mine around with me ... but suspect I will be ... now I go out and wish I had it - as I see things I want to photograph - and it's in the house ...
@ Victoria - thanks, I don't think I can write a post without some photos highlighting various aspects ... it was a simple write up ...
@ Debby - thank you ... I'm glad it was only a dream ...as a child I was always being told: don't talk to strangers! Now I just hope I'm not disturbed!!
Cheers to you all - we started with a hot sunny week, and it's wound down to being quite chilly today - as we were out at an event - it's probably a good thing ... but could be nice for the weekend ... we'll see, looks doubtful - thanks for the visits though - Hilary
Good that it was just a dream. Really liked the imagery. Grandpa better keep a closer eye on those kids. :)
Hi Hilary,
What a colourful story this is, and a lovely twist with the dream.
I love the way you weave the subtle suggestion of dark motifs with the warm images of love and family.
Quite a yarn!! Evoked a few pix of kids ravelled in coloured wools.
Way to go Hilary.
An interesting take on the theme, filled with vivid imagery. Makes me wonder what the tale of the women and tree is some. Well done
@ Deborah - yes it turned into a dream ... but perhaps he'd better keep an eye on them, you're right there ...
@ Adura - I just liked the idea of the woman in the poster being more of a malevolent sort, while the carving too - could be grandpa - then yarn-bombing ... and family time made the storyline - many thanks ...
@ Jo - yes quite a little yarn ... which could so easily mean kids running wild with those balls of wool ...
@ Christopher - thank you ... I'm sure the woman in the woods could be given another outing sometime ... she'll be a-waiting me!!
Cheers to you all - thanks so much for your visits - Hilary
I loved the kids running through the woods and tying things up in bright strings of wool. Beautiful.
I think that henceforth we have to call you Hilary Melton-Butcher Grimm!
The pictures were great for the story. I especially liked the first one.
Happy Sunday.
What a delightful read! I don't think I'll be taking an afternoon nap anytime soon now thank you very much! ;)
@ Mary - thanks very much ... I was thinking of yarn bombing ... then saw the cobwebs of wool photo ...
@ David - I hope not ... but I appreciate being linked to the Brothers Grimm - they were magical tale tellers ...
@ Sandra - yes I wanted to use the pictures ... two were in town ... but the cobweb wool was out of Wiki ...
@ Carrie Ann - lovely to see you ... and am glad you like the Unravelled yarn ...
Thanks everyone - enjoy your day - cheers Hilary
That's so fun! And I'm glad that the kids didn't have a Hansel and Gretel adventure, ha!
Naps are strange things, kind of like those wild imaginations of children. Great story.
Oh love it The spiderweb of yarn and loved the dream twist. Good one
Great romp in the woods, Hilary. I could see those rascals all tangled in the yarn, and of course, the dog would have to participate! Love the story and the brightly colored wool.
@ Elizabeth - yes if they'd disappeared further into the woods that could so easily have led to further horrors ... but 'twas a nap by grandpa ...
@ Susan - yes we can nap into various thoughts can't we ... and then wake up somewhat surprised and relieved ...
@ Marja - thanks ... the spiderweb picture helped me add that bit in ...
@ Lee - it could so easily happen - kids, or the better word 'rascals', can have so much fun playing together without causing total havoc ... just some tangling ... it was fun to write ...
Cheers to you all - have great weeks ... cheers Hilary
"he'd have to take his wife out to get some more" That made me laugh. I know many knitters and quilters, and husbands sure do have to put up with a bunch of yarn and fabric in their homes. And definitely have to buy more and more for their wives. lol
What a clever and fun way to put together a story! Love it! Hugs...RO
Grandparents certainly need their naps:) Heh.
@ Chrys ... I was thinking perhaps of someone with dementia who relied on her knitting - but your remark rings so true too. Covered in fabrics, yarn, and patches - can quite see that ...
@ RO - many thanks ... brought together with the photos I took in downtown Duncan ...
@ Sandra - yes grandparents need whatever breaks they can get - their personalities keep them on the go ...
Cheers to you three - Hilary
Ha Ha. So nice to see your imagination taking flight Hilary!
When grandpa's asleep, the kids will play... and get into a bit of mischief too, of course. ;) My grandma always had her skeins of yarn. She had a special bag for them (with her knitting needles). I don't think she ever told me not to play with her yarn, and she was a very gentle soul, but somehow I still knew better. :)
Thanks Juliet - the poster and mask brought the story to my mind ...
@ Rosey - yes grandpa being asleep helps ... I was trying to find a bag of wool with some knitting needles - but failed in my approach to find the real thing or a photo - so thanks for letting me seeing your grandma with her bag. How lovely to have a gentle loving grandmother ...
Lovely to see you both - cheers Hilary
Loved the images of this story and wanted to be playing with the yarn myself. But I got a little creeped out for a minute - thank goodness Grandpa was only dreaming! :)
Hi Julie - thank goodness I thought about grandpa dreaming ... the ending was unravelling in front of me - so at least the yarn reached a happy tea time ... glad you enjoyed it - thanks ... cheers Hilary
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