I GO TO THE COUNTRY 7 



Hamilton Gibson, a very great botanist, had some- 

 times found these little blossoms as early as the 

 last of February. 



Since then Grandmother showed Tommy and 

 me how to make a bird's nest basket with moss 

 and Pussy Willow. This was not difficult to do, 

 for Tommy had a little basket that some figs had 

 come in, almost the shape of a bird's nest. First 

 Grandmother laid moss all around its outer side, 

 and fastened it well with a needle and long black 

 thread; and the twigs of Pussy Willow were so 

 soft that she could bend them to make the handle 

 of the basket. Afterward we slipped more of 

 them in and out through the moss, so that they 

 [might imitate tiny twigs, bits of straw, and the 

 strings that birds carry when nest building. We 

 sprinkled it then with water, thinking it would 

 keep fresh for many days. 



When all this was done we laid our bunches of 

 Blue Eyes in the center, making believe they were 

 eggs. 



Then Tommy asked: "What next?" 



