Transcript

MUSIC

Let's have some fun 

with things that rhyme

welcome Kids 

it's poetry time!

Hip Hip Hurray!

Welcome everyone to Kids’ Poetry Club with me, Little Dazzy Donuts. I’m on my way into the Club. Queenie called me earlier to ask if I had some spare time to help them with the garden. There’s so much ripening right now, and so it’s all hands to the pump on harvesting vegetables. Of course, I’m delighted to help – Queenie and Chicken have put so much effort into that amazing garden behind the Club, and to think that it was just a patch of weeds and brambles back in Spring.

As I’m not quite at the Club yet, why don’t we take advantage of this time to do our Club registration? This is where you get to shout out your name and get a Club point for being here. So, on the count of three, shout out your name so that I can hear you through your phone, computer, or radio.

Let the drum roll begin. Here goes …. One. Two. Three! ….. Excellent!

Well, I just arrived at the Club, and so let’s walk around the back and see what Queenie and Chicken are up to in the garden.

SOUND (Gate)

Hi Queenie … Hi Chicken.

Queenie: Oh hi, Little Dazzy Donuts.

SOUND (Chicken).

Queenie: We’re so glad to see you. Look at all of the veggies we’ve picked already, and that’s just the start of it.

Oh wow – you have a lot of beets there, and cabbages too, and I love how you’ve stacked them all up. They look like artwork.

Queenie: Why, thank you! They’re finely balanced right now – especially after we stacked them high and then started a game of cabbage and beet Jenga where we took it in turns to remove a vegetable, and the loser was going to be the one who made the pile fall down. We didn’t actually finish the game, but it hopefully explains why the veggie pile tooks so wobbly.

So, what can I do to help you both?

Well, right now, Chicken is working on the corn, and I’m working on the green beans. Would you be willing to pick the ripe tomatoes over there? We haven’t got to those yet.

Of course – anything to help. Now, what should I do with the tomatoes once I’ve picked them.

Queenie: Oh, just bring them over here to this table for packing. We’ve got some nice cardboard punnets for the small cherry tomatoes, and the large tomatoes go in these cardboard trays. My gosh – isn’t punnet a fun word. A punnet is a small basket for fruit … but why use the word basket when you can say punnet?

I agree. Punnets it is. Okay, I’ll get started now and see how many punnets I can fill.

Queenie: So, how are you doing with the corn, Chicken?

SOUND (Chicken)

Queenie: You do? You have a joke about corn? Well, I’d love to hear it!

SOUND (Chicken)

Queenie: Oh my gosh – that’s so good. Did you hear that, Little Dazzy Donuts? Chicken just told a joke about corn!

No – I missed it. I’m down here in the tomato plants.

Queenie: She said … how are rabbits like corn? And the answer is ….they both have big ears!!!! BIG EARS!!!! Ha Ha Ha. Ummmm … come to think about it, why are they called ears of corn? They don’t look anything like ears to me!

SOUND (Chicken)

Queenie: Oh … wow – who knew that? I had no idea the term “Ears of Corn” came from the Old Chicken word “Beh-Beh”. I can totally see how that could eventually morph into the word Ear – they sound so similar. You know, chickens have been around for four thousand years, and so it doesn’t surprise me at all that some chicken words became our words. So, how’s it going with the tomatoes, Little Dazzy Donuts?

It’s going well – look. I reckon that we have about 10 pounds or 5 kilos of tomatoes, and there are more to pick. So, what are you going to do with all of these lovely veggies?

Queenie: Ah – well, we have a plan.

I thought you might!

Queenie: This all started when we received a voicemail a few days’ ago. Here, let me play it for you and you’ll see why it got us so excited.

Voicemail: Oh hi. I hope I have the right number. I was trying to leave a message for Chicken and Queenie. You left a nice basket of vegetables on my doorstep recently, and they were so tasty. It has been a tough year, and I’m not able to afford many vegetables right now. So it meant a lot to my family that you gave us some of yours. Thank you for being such wonderful neighbors – I hope you know how much you’re appreciated. Keep up the good work with your garden. Bye for now.

What a wonderful voicemail message, Queenie. It’s so nice to know that people appreciated it when you and Chicken took those baskets of veggies around the other week.

Queenie: That’s what we were thinking … and then we thought that we could go a step further and put our veggies out for people to come and collect. That’s what we’re doing today – we’re harvesting everything that’s ripe, and setting up a little Farm Stand opposite the Club. Under the oak tree over there. People can then come to collect the veggies they need without waiting for us to deliver them.

Well, that’s a wonderful idea, and I’m glad that I can help you.

Queenie: We have a lot more still to pick though. While Chicken and I work on these cauliflowers, do you have a poem that you could read to us, Little Dazzy Donuts?

I do, Queenie. I brought three along in case we’d need them. I included this one here as I thought it would fit perfectly with our veggie harvesting today. It’s called “In A Pickle”. I’ll read it to you now …

I may over-estimated the vegetables

when I planted seeds this year.

Now my kitchen’s full of cabbages

and corn stacked ear-to-ear.

I store broccoli in the bathtub,

carrots are in the sink.

I’m eating kale with every meal,

cucumbers with every drink.

My teeth are brushed with celery.

I have shallots in my shampoo.

I’m making soap with green beans,

from the hundreds that I grew.

I’m eating bread and onions.

I’m baking peas and beets.

On Sundays, I dip sliced turnip

into syrup for a treat.

I’m worried that I’ll turn into

a vegetable one day,

and doctors will come to harvest me,

before carting me away.

With veggies ripening every day,

I’m picking more and more.

With my tummy and my house both full,

I’m in a pickle, that’s for sure!

Queenie: Oh, I do like that poem, Little Dazzy Donuts. That would be us if we tried to eat all of our veggies – there are far more here than we could ever eat, and so the Farm Stand not only helps the community, it helps us too.

So, what happens next?

Queenie: Next? Well, we need to put all of the veggies into our wheelbarrow, and take them over to the farm stand. Chicken – do you have the barrow?

SOUND (Chicken)

Queenie: YIPPEE!!!! Okay, let’s load it with the first batch of cabbages and beets, and take those over.

SOUND (Chicken)

Queenie: Oh my gosh – you’re right, Chicken. I was supposed to ask our artist-friend Bill Ding if he’d be willing to make us a nice sign for the stand. Something to attract people’s attention so they know it’s there and can start to use it. Ummm …. would you two be okay to start wheeling the veggies over to the stand while I give Bill a call?

Of course, Queenie. We’ll take this first batch, and then come back for more. Why don’t you use the phone there in Chicken’s house?

Queenie: Okey dokey. Thanks, Little Dazzy Donuts. Thanks, Chicken. See you in a mo!

SOUND (Dialing)

Bill: Hi, this is Bill.

Queenie: Hi, Bill. It’s Queenie.

Bill: Oh, hi Queenie. How are things down at Kids’ Poetry Club?

Queenie: Oh, they’re peachy, Bill. Real peachy. Actually, I was phoning to see if you’d have a little time to help us today?

Bill: Sure, Queenie. I’m working on some art, and I’m waiting for the paint to dry before I layer on more, and so now’s the perfect time. What can I do to help you?

Queenie: Well, we’re opening a farm stand under the oak tree so people can come collect our veggies, and I thought that a nice sign would help people to know the farm stand is there and open. You’re so good at art, and so I was wondering if you’d be able to paint a colorful sign for us?

Bill: Of course. What do you want it to say?

Queenie: Ummm … how about “Chicken & Queenie’s Veggie Stand”

Bill: Wonderful. That’s a great start. Now, what other information might be helpful for people to have? How about when the stand is open?

Queenie: Oh, it’s open today, and is open every day … whenever people want veggies, they’ll be at the stand for them – night and day.

Bill: Okay – so let’s say that on the sign too. “Open day and night”. Now, how about prices? Do you want to put those on the sign too?

Queenie: Prices? What do mean “prices”?

Bill: You know – how much people have to pay for the vegetables.

Queenie: Oh, they don’t pay, Bill. They can take whatever they need. It’s all free.

Bill: Well, this all sounds wonderful, Queenie.

Queenie: People have been through so much this year, and many are in tough situations right now … and yet, we’re here with way too many vegetables. So, the farm stand allows people to take what they need. Of course, they can donate money if they want – there will be a bucket there in case some people want to donate, and we’ll give that money to the food bank.

Bill: You and Chicken are definitely doing a lovely thing, Queenie. Okay, I’ll make you a nice sign that says “Chicken and Queenie’s Veggie Stand. Take what you need, night or day. Donations welcome – all proceeds go to the food bank”.

Queenie: That’s perfect … and can you put a little heart on the bottom of the sign too so that people know we love them? Oh, and a little Hedgehog too as Hedgehog has played an important part in all of this.

Bill: Of course I can. Now, how about the colors? I like signs that are black and yellow. How about you?

Queenie: Well, you’re the artist, Bill. If you think black and yellow, then black and yellow it is!

Bill: I’ll do it for you now, and bring it over to the oak tree in about an hour. See you soon!

Queenie: Thanks, Bill. See you soon!

SOUND (Click)

Well, Queenie, Chicken and I have taken the first two wheelbarrow’s worth, and we’re thinking it’s time to stop for a cup of tea before we start taking the corn. What do you think?

Queenie: Oh, that sounds nice. I’ll make a pot for us now. While I do, do you have a second poem, Little Dazzy Donuts?

I do, Queenie. This second poem is all about a wheelbarrow, just like the one that Chicken and I have been using. Only this one, squeaks … a lot. It’s called “My Squeaky Wheelbarrow”. Here. I’ll read the poem to you now ….

I’ve got a squeaky barrow.
It squeaks so shrill and loud
that people come
from far and wide
to form a massive crowd

to see what makes
a noise that’s like
a giant mouse in pain.
The neighbors desiring a peaceful life
pray nightly now for rain,

to keep me safely in my house,
my barrow in its shed.
But, on sunny days,
it squeaks away,
until it’s time for bed.

I love the squeaks
the barrow makes
as I push it full of soil,
and I vow to never silence it
with any type of oil.

So, if your world’s too quiet,
don’t sit there and critique.
Come push my barrow
round with me,
and fill your world with squeaks!

Queenie: Oh, I do like that poem. I love a squeaky wheelbarrow. It’s like music to garden to. But seeing as our wheelbarrow doesn’t squeak much, I get my gardening music from the radio instead. Ever since we were on the Tom & Art Drive-Time Show, I’ve caught every minute of every show. I just can’t get enough of them. Okay, drink up your tea as we have a lot more veggies to take around to the Farm Stand. We can then stack everything up nicely before Bill arrives with the sign.

Well, you have quite the veggie collection that’s for sure. Let’s see. You have cabbages, corn, tomatoes, green beans, beets, cucumbers, and cauliflowers.

Queenie: And it’s grown organically too. No pesticides – we have no need for them because we have two of the best pest controllers in the business, and they work 24/7 over two shifts. We have Chicken in the daytime, and Hedgehog at night. Those poor pesky pests don’t stand a chance. I think they take one look at our garden, see Chicken and Hedgehog, and decide that it’s best that they take themselves off elsewhere.

So, how is Hedgehog? I haven’t seen them around recently.

Queenie: Oh, you won’t have done. Hedgehogging is a covert operation. They try to sneak in and out unnoticed, but you know they’ve been there.

Because all the grubs have gone?

Queenie: Well, yes, there is that … but also because they leave a nice little note of thanks each night. Any Hedgehogger is the politest animal you’ll meet … if you’re ever fortunate enough to meet one. 

Well, we better shift some more vegetables if Bill Ding is coming over with the sign soon. Who don’t you two head over with this next barrow of veggies? While you do that, I’ll read our final poem for today.

Queenie: Okey dokey. We’ll be back in a mo so we can take those cucumbers and caulis.

SOUNDS (Wheelbarrow and Gate)

Our final poem is all about salad vegetables, and it’s a nice short one called “Our Salad Days”. Here it is now ….

I pull a head of lettuce,
pick tomatoes off the vine,
throw in radish
and Spring onion,
that I chop up fine.
We love our garden veggies
in a hundred million ways.
Not least when we
sit down to eat,
here in our salad days.

Well, sadly, that was our final poem for today. Before I head over to help unload the wheelbarrow, let me remind everyone that there are lots of ways to join in with the club. If you go to kidspoetryclub.com, you’ll see a wonderful drawing by our Club illustrator, Dot Cherch, based on one of the poems from the episode. You can also see the PodSnack video and download the episode’s PodPack of activities. They’re all free. Plus there’s information on how to send your poems and drawings into the club, including your poem and art entries into the Autumn/Fall competition on the topic of gratitude – so, what you’re thankful for, grateful for, and appreciative of. You’ll find everything you need at kidspoetryclub.com.

It has been so lovely to spend time with you! Thank you for joining me, Queenie, Chicken, and Bill Ding. I hope you enjoyed yourself, and hope you’ll be back for more next time the Club meets. Join us again next week when we’ll have a brand new topic, and new poems.

As always, let's finish with our short goodbye poem:

We've had some fun 

with things that rhymed

goodbye Kids 

until next time!

This is Little Dazzy Donuts saying .... keep rhyming!!!

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