18 Dec 2013

The wishing tree (almost Wordless Wednesday)



Having started to float along on the festive tide with my christmas garden post at the weekend, I took two toddlers to the zoo in Regent's Park yesterday to see the reindeer, as you do.  Their day was made up when one of the reindeers obligingly turned his back and did a poo right near to where we were watching.  Joy and laughter are very poo related in the life of a two year old.

Christmas outside

My day, on the other hand, was complete when I detoured to see the hippopotamus and came across a giant decorated cedar tree. Its lower branches were covered with wishes and hopes, written on luggage labels and other tags, tied to the tree.  It was a glorious sight and made for some lovely reading.  If only they'd thought to use waterproof pens! The synchronicity of seeing this when I'd just written about creating a wishing tree was very thrilling, not to mention inspirational.




25 comments:

  1. Delightful. Wishing you all the very best for a great Christmas and New Year.

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    1. Thanks, Elaine - or are you being ironic about the reindeer poo which was not delightful at all! I also wish you a fabulous festive holiday and all the best for the year ahead, my friend.

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  2. Did you know Rudolf was a girl? Wouldn't it be wonderful if wishing trees worked?

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    1. Well you live and learn! I didn't know that, Sue! Oh, I'm sure on some level they do - I've been watching Cinderella with the kids and love the line "A dream is a wish your heart makes …" tra la la!

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    2. Male reindeer lose their antlers in winter Caro - so all ones with antlers at the moment are girls!

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  3. I know what you mean about the reindeer poo! (We have a 4-year old granddaughter...). What you say about not using waterproof pens is so right. Surely whoever thought that one up should have anticipated that in December it would be wet, either with rain or snow?! They could have used pencils...

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    1. Haha! You've been there too, Mark, with the toddler poo obsession! Having taught art and crafts, I frequently find that these community projects are not thought through very well!

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  4. If you ever take them to see a rhino and it turns its back.. stand well clear. I learnt this lesson on my birthday one year and had to spend the rest of the day in pee covered shoes.
    Wishing trees are really catching on. It's a lovely idea.

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    1. Luckily there are no rhinos at London Zoo but thanks for the warning! I will bear it in mind for future encounters!

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  5. What a wonderful day. You're right about the poo thing, you have given them a very happy memory I think! Love the wish tree.

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    1. I think every visit to the zoo is wonderful, CJ - no matter how many times I take the children, they never tire of seeing the animals which I find amazing in this internet age! I like that the idea of a wish tree can be transferred onto so many events ... a lovely idea!

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    1. Thank you for commenting, Endah - and, yes, I agree with you!

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  7. It looks, and sounds, like you had a most enjoyable day. Flighty xx

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  8. A pooing reindeer! I doubt Christmas will better that ;-) Just plain stupid - and a little sad - not to have provided waterproof pens for the wishing tree though.

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    1. I like to build up to Christmas and provide reminders of what the festive season is really about but I think, for little ones, nothing beats opening presents on the day! I agree about the waterproof pens, especially given the UK climate but laminated pouches would have done the job as well, albeit more expensively!

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  9. Ahh the innocence of it all, the age when animals doing a poo was funny :) So did you make a wish then and put it on the tree?

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    1. I love the innocence of childhood - it's all too fleeting though! No time for wishes - it was straight on to the penguins! It's a nice idea to bring home though!

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  10. Kids and poop eh....always sets them off giggling.
    I love the idea of a wishing tree, I have an old stump in my garden full of ribbons, maybe I could add wishes to it.xxx

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  11. Ha ha, the things that please children, eh? I love the wishing tree, I bet there were some lovely wishes on there, if only you could have read them.

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  12. Love wishing trees. What a shame that the elements had not been taken into account. Spooky how these coincidences happen :)

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  13. Have a lovely Christmas Caro. xx

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  14. Love that wishing tree idea. Might be an idea for my christmas tree next year. All good wishes to you and yours for the year ahead

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