Clover Necklaces

It almost felt like Spring was in the air today, so it is hard to believe that just a few weeks ago we were buried with snow. As a child, I spent most of my time outside during the Spring and Summer. Since my sister was four years younger, I learned to play alone.

I made little rafts of dried leaves for ants.

I chased butterflies.

I sat very still hoping for dragonflies to land close to me.

I leaned back in my swing and watched the clouds float along.

I cooked pretend dandelion soup.

One of my most favorite things to do was to make clover flower necklaces. I would pick pink and white clover flowers, put a small slit with my plastic “play” knife at the bottom of the stem creating a hole. Next, I inserted the stem of the next clover flower through the hole until it was flush with the stem. Then I would cut a slit in that stem and pull another flower through the hole until it was flush with the stem. I did this until it was long enough to make a necklace (a very primitive lei) and then I tied the two stem ends together.

Bees chased me.

I made a new necklace at least five times a week.

I was too ignorant to realize that twenty clover flowers hanging around my neck made me very attractive to the buzzing bees.

Ignorance is not always bliss.

Now I understand why my mother didn’t wear her necklace very long.

I should tell you about the Cowboys and Indians tomorrow. Then you will be laughing that not only did I look like an orange tipped matchstick that wore necklaces to attract bees, but that I simply had no common sense.

Did you make clover flower necklaces? Did the bees chase you too? What did you do outside during the summer?