Rafi’s Petal-Hop Parade — Between the round hill and the warm, grassy smell of morning, Rafi the rose tapped his thorny stem and shouted, “Petal-hop parade!” He had just invented the game: wiggle one leaf, point to a daisy, bounce your eyes to a star, then grin at the clouds. Read the full story →
Between the round hill and the warm, grassy smell of morning, Rafi the rose tapped his thorny stem and shouted, “Petal-hop parade!” He had just invented the game: wiggle one leaf, point to a daisy, bounce your eyes to a star, then grin at the clouds. The daisies shook their white faces. The mushroom gave a soft pop. Even the pebbles seemed to sit up straighter in the dirt.
The game grew faster and fizzier. Rafi called, “Leaf left! Leaf right! Smile high!” and the garden answered with swish, rustle, twinkle. Then a golden laugh spilled over the hill. The sun was not watching the parade at all—she was the drummer, tapping bright rays in a circle to keep everyone’s beat. Rafi lifted his petals like a crown, exactly in time. Next time you spot his big smile, see if you can find the sun’s secret drumsticks, still tapping over the warm, grassy morning.
