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Pictures From Wren’s Nest Fest 2009

Written on June 9, 2009 at 11:02 am, by Lain

Imani and the Rooster at Wren's Nest Fest

We hosted Wren’s Nest Fest on Friday, and it was a great success.  Over 500 kids attended, and I didn’t see anyone crying.  Please, check out the pictures.

Why should you take a look?  Two words — miniature animals.  This rooster was the only normal-sized thing in attendance.

I’d like to thank Amelia for organizing Wren’s Nest Fest.  I’d also like to thank our fantastic volunteers for outstanding performances in cookie decorating, face painting, and moonbounce monitoring.  I’d also like to thank myself for taking the pictures — they are exquisite.

We couldn’t have done it without your help.

The Howard School Brings the Adorable and the Brer Rabbit Stories

Written on October 31, 2008 at 2:46 pm, by Amelia

First of all, Happy Halloween!  I hope you’re having a spooktacular day.  We totally are.

The Howard School visited today, and brought a hearty amount of awesomeness in the form of 21 second graders (we think).  They were a hoot.

Howard School students in their Protect the Nest shirts

Nannie and Jeri gave them a tour of the Wren’s Nest, Donald gave them a performance of the Brer Rabbit stories, and I provided them with a mess of Brer Lion t-shirts.  Lain sat around and put his feet up.

In return, the kids performed their own versions of the Brer Rabbit stories on our stage.

The Howard School show goes on!

The children had crafted papier-mâché masks of various characters and “acted along” as their teachers read from The Classic Tales of Brer Rabbit.

Here’s one of the masks, up close and personal.

Howard School Papier Mache mask of Brer Rabbit

Below is Brer Rabbit (and family–you can understand the need for poetic license when you have 21 fidgety players) stumbling upon the tar baby.

Brer Rabbit (and family) stumble across the tar baby

Pretty convincing, if I do say so.

My favorite part of the performances were when the students, instructed to repeat after their teacher, would boisterously yell stage directions.  For example:

TEACHER: (with repeat-after-me emphasis) And then Brer Fox said, puffing up his chest, “I’m–”

2-3 CHILDREN: (with passion) PUFFING UP HIS CHEST!

TEACHER: (chuckling) I’m going to cook you in a stew!

1 CHILD: (timidly) I’m going to cook you in a stew?

I loved it.  Thanks for a great day, Howard School!