STRAWBERRY JAM

Are you a Long Distance Grandparent looking for something inexpensive treat to send your grandchildren this summer? Perhaps you're a nearby grandparent wanting some activity to do with your grandchildren. I've got just the idea for you. I borrowed the character of the Teeny Tiny Woman from the English Fairy Tale, wrote my own story, and sent it to my grandchildren. If you are long distance, here are a couple of ways you can handle the reading of the story: Face-time by phone and read it (mailing the treat ahead of time); mail a copy and have their parents or babysitter read it while enjoying an afternoon snack. Just pack some gourmet biscuits/crackers, saltines, and little strawberry jelly or jam packets like restaurants have. Most of managers, if you tell them what you are doing, will gladly sell you a few packets or maybe even give them to you. If you're a nearby grandparent, then gather the little ones around read the story, plus serve up the treat. They'll love it! Mind did. Enjoy connecting with your grandchildren near or far this summer.

            Once upon a time there lived a teeny tiny woman in a teeny tiny town. She was very lonesome. She thought I will invite some friends to join me for a picnic.  “Let’s see,” she said. “What will I need?” Since the teeny tiny woman lived by herself, she often talked to herself just to hear the sound of a voice.

            Opening her cupboard, she noticed that she didn’t have any bread. She decided right then and there that she would spend her morning baking some fresh bread. She took down her teeny tiny bowl and set it on her teeny tiny table. She measured out some water and yeast and then added some flour and other ingredients. She soon had a big ball of bread dough. Then she kneaded it with her hands until it became smooth and shiny. Next, she formed it into loaves. Her teeny tiny kitchen was nice and warm; she knew that the bread would soon rise. When the bread doubled in size, she would place it in her teeny tiny oven.

             An hour passed, and the teeny tiny woman checked on the dough. Sure enough, it was just right, and she put it in her teeny tiny oven. Soon, her teeny tiny kitchen smelled heavenly as the aroma of the bread filled the air. A short while later, she had several loaves of teeny tiny bread lined up on her table. She sliced the bread into teeny tiny slices.

            “But what will I put on the bread for my guests? I know!” she said, talking a loud. “I will go pick some teeny tiny strawberries and make some jam.”

            The teeny tiny woman put on her teeny tiny bonnet to keep the hot sun off of her teeny tiny face, and she went out to her teeny tiny strawberry patch. She filled her teeny tiny basket with the teeny tiny strawberries and went back into her teeny tiny cottage. She set right to work and made the most delicious strawberry jam. She couldn’t help but think how much her friends and neighbors would love the strawberries jam on her teeny tiny slices of bread. “I think I’d better sample some, just to be sure it’s tasty,” and that is just what she did. “Ummm,” she said. “This is scrumptious, if I do say so myself.”

            There was only one thing left for her to do. She went to her teeny tiny telephone and called all her teeny tiny friends and neighbors. “Ant, would you like to go on a

picnic tomorrow and have some of my teeny tiny bread with just a teeny tiny bit of strawberry jam?”

            “Would I?” ask the ant. “You know how I love picnics, but no one ever invites me. I always have to crash outdoor parties.”

“You poor thing,” said the teeny tiny woman, “Consider yourself invited. Bye for now, see you tomorrow.”

            In a short while, she had called ten different guests. She decided that they would stroll over by the teeny tiny pond, which was located in the teeny tiny town’s park. “Why, we’ll just sit under the teeny tiny shade trees and have our teeny tiny picnic, and they did. When they were finished, she thought, What could I do with these leftover slices of bread? Everyone here is so full.

Then she had a clever idea. She packed her teeny tiny bread in a teeny tiny box and took it to the teeny tiny post office. She gave it to the teeny tiny postman and said, “Please address this to anyone you know who might enjoy hearing from a teeny tiny woman and having some of my teeny tiny bread and jam.”

The teeny tiny postman said, “I sure will!” Then the teeny tiny postman thought of YOU!

                                                                                                                    --Janet Teitsort