Creative Spirit of the Heart and Soul

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Book One

The Sierra Alder Authors

Ernest & Rita Gradhatch-Mauro, Dahnashay & Tahwinin Edmonds, Kate Perotti, Mary and Jim Donahue

Spanish Language Editors

Petra and Joseph Morales-Domingez

Editors

Nathan and Ellen Carmichael, Marie and Ann Arten

With deepest regards for all of our grandparents, parents and children. A heartfelt thank you to the inspirational educators, playwrights and musicians that educate us so that we may teach in turn, bringing peace to the world in this mystical journey of life.

Chapter One: A Musical Family

Chapter Two: The Wedding

Chapter Three: The Wedding at the Tribal Gathering

Chapter Four: The Family Vacation

Chapter Five: The Fine Art Museum

Chapter Six: The New Employees

Chapter Seven: The Visit to the Big City

Chapter Eight: The Fourth of July Picnic

Chapter Nine: The Opening of the Play

Chapter Ten: The Radio Show

Chapter Eleven: The Band

Chapter Twelve: The Dinner

Chapter Thirteen: The Graduation

Chapter Fourteen: Letters From Their Beaus

Chapter Fifteen: The Students are Saved

Chapter Sixteen: Back Home

Chapter One

A Musical Family

“Perchance to dream

You know it isn't the same

As when we are awake

To remember our dreams

It helps us to think

When we’re on our way

And when we awake

It’s a beautiful thing

To greet a new day

A reel called dream

It’s in four four time

To dance through the night”

May and Edwin woke early in the morn, making breakfast and waking their children Rosa and Frederick who had been dreaming of the music that their parents were composing with them for their music lessons. They had a scrumptious breakfast of spinach omelettes, artistically shaped pancakes, tea and juice. Rosa asked May and Edwin if she could make some animal pancakes for Frederick and the family. They thought that it was a wonderful idea. She turned over a pancake. A mouse's face appeared. She gently placed it on a plate and accentuated the eyes, nose and ears with syrup. She gave it to Frederick who laughed and put it on the table. A delicious mouse pancake! Rosa made a giraffe, a lion, a bear, a deer and a squirrel for the family. They all sat down to eat the delicious artistic breakfast.

It was a Saturday, so they decided to take a stroll, stopping at a newsstand to catch up with the most recent happenings in the world. The children Rosa and Frederick were excited to see a new issue of Child Life magazine. Child Life was one of their favourites because it had fun activities, articles and puzzles. Frederick also saw some hard-covered children's books and picked out an illustrated book about an orphan. Both children promised to do well in school, and their parents allowed them to choose two books apiece. They also gathered a newspaper and a periodical about recent events and walked back to their cozy apartment just a short distance away, stopping at the park to feed the ducks with oats and corn that they had brought along. Rosa and Frederick always enjoyed feeding the ducks. They didn't feed them bread to avoid algae blooms in the pond. One duckling was noted for keeping her sisters and brothers close to their parents when swimming out in the pond and walking about close to the shore. Rosa and Frederick asked if they could name the nurturing duckling.

May thought about it and said, “Well I am sure she wouldn’t mind a name as long as it suits her.”

Frederick, in deep thought, replied, “She sure is a noble character, making sure that the younger ducklings don't wander too far off from their parents."

Rosa intoned, “How about we call her "Princess Alma!”

Edwin looked at Rosa, then Frederick, and said, “A fine name for our friend! Did you know that the name 'Alma' is defined being 'a nurturing soul' in the Danish language?” Rosa and Frederick found the information interesting. The sun was shining through the clouds, and spring was here. The flowers were beginning to bloom. Seeing a flower stall, Edwin picked out a beautiful bouquet of gladioli for his wife May, giving her a hug. She smiled happily and straightened his bow tie, before going back to their apartment.

They sat down together and began reading. May said, "This is interesting dear. The Schoenbergs are getting married. I spoke with Maria’s mom earlier and we are invited! She's betrothed to Mathew. We'll need to find a nice gift for them next time we go downtown. What do you think we should get them?"

Edwin replied, "Hmm...perhaps a set of new kitchenware. You know we still have ours. It was nice of your cousins to gift us with such practical household utensils. Oh, I noticed here that they are constructing the tallest building in the world in New York City. It's going to be called ‘The Empire State Building’. Imagine that!"

"Yes indeed, that is quite something to imagine! Perhaps we can make a visit when the building is constructed. That would be a fun adventure," mentioned May

Then Rosa spoke, "Can you read us the ABC's? This book has pictures of animals in it with the alphabet."

Frederick returned, "I wonder what kinds of sounds they make? The pictures are really well drawn."

May and Edwin went over the alphabet with their children teaching them to sing their ABC's as they had been taught when they were children. Then Edwin sat at the piano. Fritz, their small pet dog barked briefly as he played the first chord. Meeko the cat meowed in return before Edwin began playing a lively melody reminiscent of the springtime. He jotted the notes down on some staff paper, improvising different parts before realising the nearly finished tune. Then he played it for them, calling it "Flowers of Spring". They all sat and listened with rapt attention while May set down the newspaper and brought out her violin. She improvised along with Edwin, and they both sat down at the piano bench and wrote together. The children quietly listened until they were finished, then applauded. Rosa lifted up her tiny violin and stood next to her mom plucking pizzicato while Frederick settled next to his father and played in the treble clef. It sounded wonderful and they all felt pleased with the new composition while May and Edwin added their children's ideas to the tune.

May carefully closed the manuscript book and placed it on top of the upright piano, gathering an old classical piece that she had been practicing with Edwin. They played a virtuoso performance for their children, then mentioned that it was time for their lunch and a nap. The children finished their graham crackers and were gathered to their rooms where they were tucked in for an hour's rest.