Once there was a girl named Nora, who was always changing her mind.  One summer morning, Nora’s sister Allison asked, “What do you want to do today?”

 

“Let’s get all our chores done first and then play.....  No, let’s play and then do our chores, later in the afternoon.”

 

“Oh, Nora!” Allison screeched. “Stop changing your mind!”

 

Nora felt her heart sink into her toes when she saw Allison’s hands go on her hips, her eyebrows go down and especially when she heard her sister’s voice get loud.

 

“If it’s not about what to do, it’s about what to wear or eat...” Allison went on. But when she turned around, Nora had already started running, screaming “I’m sorry,” into their tiny backyard. She plopped herself down not far from their garden; a spot that was bathed in streams of sunlight. The sun’s rays would be strongest in the garden later in the afternoon, but Nora was too upset to notice. She wished so hard for an answer to her problem, her mind drifted, like it was being swept away by the streams of sunlight. Looking around the yard, she couldn’t help thinking about the beauty of the tiny town she lived in; the town called Foresta. She thought about all the things she loved about living in her neighborhood. She thought about how every house had only a small clearing for a backyard and still, each one had a tiny, sweet-smelling garden. And how everyone would gather, every night in the town square, with a delicious dish to share, made out of the fresh fruits and vegetables from their gardens. She loved the tall trees that were so tall; they couldn’t be safely cut down.

 

Nora’s mind swirled with her thoughts. She even daydreamed about how cool it would be to ask the woodland animals how they decide what to do each day, when suddenly Allison appeared by her side. 

 

“Come on Nora, we have work to do in the garden, but first why don’t we take a walk around the neighborhood and try to think of an answer to your problem,” she said, so the two girls began walking.  They were so busy thinking, they didn’t even notice the cool, tall shadows the sun was casting beside them. And as they walked…and walked… and walked…, they thought…and thought…and thought…until they happened upon a little blue bird just sitting in the road, looking this way and that. And the girls asked, “Oh, little blue bird, please tell us; how do you decide which way to fly each day?”

 

“Well,” he answered, “that’s easy.  First, I look east. Then I look west. Then I ask the pretty butterflies that are always passing my way. We’ve known each other a while now. Anyway, they always have a few good ideas, as to where the sweetest air is because they know where all the flowers live.  And we bluebirds help the butterflies too by letting them know where they can find the most comfortable sitting branches.”

 

“Oh,” the girls replied. They thanked the little blue bird and walked away.  And as they walked…and walked…and walked…, they thought…and thought…and thought about what the little blue bird had told them, they happened upon a green bullfrog sitting on the edge of a tiny pond looking this way and that.

 

And the girls asked, “Oh, green bullfrog please tell us; how do you decide whether to jump in the water or hop on the ground each day?”

 

“Well,” he answered, “that’s easy.  First, I look east. Then I look west. Then I ask the little black gnats that hover around my head; seems like they’ve been there forever. Anyway, they always have a few good ideas about the water: if it’s too c-o-l-d or if the ground is too hot. They also help me when they keep passersby from picking me up. But the silliest thing those little buggers do is fly straight into my mouth, so I end up swallowing them!”

 

“Oh my,” replied the girls, they thanked the green bullfrog and walked away.  And as they walked… and walked… and walked…they thought…and thought…and thought…about what the green bull frog and the little blue bird had told them, they happened upon a furry gray squirrel just chewing a nut, looking this way and that.

 

And the girls asked, "Furry gray squirrel please tell us; how do you decide whether to look for nuts or acorns each day?”

 

“Well,” he answered, “that’s easy.  First, I look east. Then I look west. Then I ask the rabbits that are always scurrying about. We’ve known each other a while now.  Anyway, they always have a few good ideas as to where the nuts and the acorns are. And we squirrels help the rabbits too, by letting them know where all the delicious lettuce is.

 

“Oh.”  The girls replied. They thanked the furry gray squirrel and walked away. And as they walked…and walked…and walked…, they thought…and thought…and thought, about what the furry gray squirrel, the green bullfrog and the little blue bird had told them, as they started heading toward their backyard.

 

After they had been walking for a few minutes Allison said, “I have an idea. Why don’t we ask each other for ideas about stuff too and I promise not to yell at you.”

 

“Yes, I like that.  It’s kinda like when mom needs a recipe from one of the neighbors or the time she called Mrs. Sullivan to ask what kind of raspberries she grows in her garden for making tarts,” said Nora.

 

“Yeah..... right,” replied Allison.

 

Then Nora said, almost in a whisper, “I wish I would have seen it this morning."

 

“Seen what sis?” Allison asked.

“Oh, the sun, look how strong it is now in the garden,” Nora said, once they reached their backyard. “I wish I would have seen that it wasn’t hitting the garden at all this morning.” Nora said. “Now we have to do our chores in the heat. Yuck!”

 

And the girls did hate having to work in the hot sunshine that day. But they did pass by the hours telling each other funny stories about people and animals fighting over fruits and vegetables.

 

That night, at the neighborhood gathering, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.  But Nora did overhear a few people asking each other, “Whatever happened to all the lettuce?”  And Nora said to Allison, “I’m not telling, are you?”

 

“Ahhh…no way,” said Allison. “No way.”