When the First Grade comes to the garden each Friday, they are greeted with a letter from the Queen of Workenwonder. Workenwonder comprises the grounds of St. Anne's.
These letters help connect the children to their roles and responsibilities at the garden. For example, the adventurous tale of Sir Trowel instructed how to properly weed the flower garden paths. Another story, told about an old sow bug, stressed how work can build community and self esteem.
On our visit before Halloween, the Queen invited the children to build pumpkin fairy houses for the garden fairies. You can read her letter below and see the stunning creations the children made.
Dear First Grade,
Today, my first grade workers, we honor our dear frisky friends, the garden fairies. I’m sure you’ve seen them here and there: the flash of color on a hummingbird’s neck, the sparkle of sunlight on a falling water drop, the spectacular green of a new leaf; the fairies abound and the beauty they bring to our garden here in Workenwonder knows no bounds.
Today is the last Friday of October and so it is the day the fairies look forward to all year. For it is the day they move into their freshly decorated pumpkin homes. It’s a tradition here in the Queendom, our gift to the fairies for all the splendor they bring to us each day.
The job of decorating their houses falls to you, first graders. Each group will decorate one pumpkin fairy home to make it comfortable and beautiful for a fairy to move in.
This is a surprise for the fairies, remember dear children. So go about your work quietly and with great focus. I’ve hidden the pumpkins around the garden so the fairies won’t find them until they are ready. Carefully follow your directions and you will discover your pumpkin hidden on our grounds.
When you are finished with your little home, we’ll take a look at all the others, and then, when you turn your backs and head to school, those fairies will delight in unpacking their little suitcases and making your pumpkins their homes.
Enjoy, and serve the fairies well.
Sincerely,
The Queen of Workenwonder
