A Little Story

It was a beautiful idea for a children's book.

I could picture it. Killdeer on the Playground. Illustrated with botanical quality drawings and charts. Charming students and natural habitat. Exhibition of caring for a wild creature. Joy and wonder arising from the hatching and protecting of adorable feathered offspring. A day by day journal of the growing avian family.

Day 1.
Killdeer nest discovered on playground. Right in the middle of the 'running a lap' pathway. Frantic and dramatic parental input - lead them astray, lead them astray, lead them astray. This continued to occur - for 60 students worth of running laps (X2 recesses).

A temporary solution of protection was found by using a hula hoop as a fence around the nest. "Stay clear!" was the command of the day. Teachers and students monitored the eggs in the midst of the bark.

After school, I considered all of the possibilities of a fascinating Caledecott Award Honor Book. Written by a new-to-the-scientific-and-secular-world of children's picture books author. Someone from the beautiful northwest. Someone like - moi.

Beautiful things. Dreams.

Day 2.

Racing to the playground for recess, students and teachers alike hoped for nesting parents.

Instead. An empty nest, no parents, a few shells, and some dried runny yolk at the bottom of the grassy depression nest.


Seems the community dog had a better idea for the eggs.

It WAS a great idea for a story.

Not all was lost. What a great lesson about the food chain!