I.

Iris Spins for Akiva for a Long Long Time

Cinderella

Dressed in yella’

Wen tup stairs ta

Kiss ‘er fella

By mistake she

Kissed a snake—

How many doctors

Did it take?

II.

Akiva Spins for Iris but Gives Up Quickly

Pleece-min, pleece-min

Do yer dooty

Here come

Ziris the American beauty

Sheekin wibble

Sheekin wobble

Sheekin doothe double splits

Bud I betchew

A doller

Thatshe can’t’do this!

III.

Mama Spins with One Hand while Holding the Camera in the Other

Eekka kadeekka

Ka-dusk ka-day

Rufftie pufftie, carmel-a

Wippity wappity

Poppity pappity

Meepity mappity

Moppity may

X spells she sells

Wedding bells

And snail shells

Eekka kadeekka

Ka-dusk ka-day

Rufftie pufftie, carmel-a!

I took 255 photos of the kids jumping rope. These aren’t nearly half the good ones.

Minnie the Giant Rabbit’s first litter of bun-buns was born on April 10th.

There were eight. Iris does not pick favorites:

she puts them all into the doll sling and takes them out for a walk.

Fortunately, rabbits like snuggling.

Later, we take a walk without the rabbits. We go to the little creek that flows from the old Val-Esterie property past the water treatment plant and into the Coaticook River. Two Little People mamas come with us. For some reason, they have twine around their necks. I think they were going to go swimming. Standing at the edge of the creek, Akiva holds the end of one piece of twine and twirls the mama round and round as one would twirl a sling with a rock in it. Like a rock shot from a sling, the toy flies through the air, never to be seen again. At least not by us. Somewhere down by the creek there is a little blue Little People mama with blonde hair waiting to be found. Akiva is distraught.

On the way home we stop at the school playground.

Akiva swings high like a rock in a sling.

And like a rock shot from a sling, he flies high over the trees, through the clouds, back home.