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April 2012 - Feature Campfire - April Showers Bring May Flowers

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February 2014 - Feature - A Thinking Day Celebration - Together We Change the World
January 2014 - Feature Campfire - Sing, Sing A Song!
December 2013 - Feature Campfire - My Favorite Holiday Friends
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September 2013 - Feature Campfire - Getting to Know You
June 2013 - Feature Campfire - Summer Fun!
May 2013 - Feature Campfire - As We Hike Along
April 2013 - Feature Campfire - Earth Day
March 2013 - Feature Campfire - We Can Make a Difference - Celebrating International Women's Day
February 2013 - Feature Campfire - The Klondike Gold Rush
January 2013 - Three Cheers for 100 Years - Happy Birthday Alberta Girl Guides
December 2012 - Feature Campfire - My Christmas Wish
November 2012 - Feature Campfire - Let There Be Peace On Earth
October 2012 - Feature Campfire - Autumn Is My Favorite Season
September 2012 - Feature Campfire - Make New Friends
SURPRISE! June 2012 Feature Campfire - The Olympics, One World, One Dream
May 2012 - Feature Campfire - Camping Adventures
April 2012 - Feature Campfire - April Showers Bring May Flowers
March 2012 - Feature Campfire - Soar Like An Eagle - Celebrating Native Culture!
February 2012 - Feature Campfire - A Garden of Friendship and Love
January 2012 - Feature Campfire - A Winter Night's Dream!
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Hi Everyone,
 
Spring is in the air here in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.  We have had the most amazing winter!  The weather has been awesome.
 
April is upon us.  "April Showers Bring May Flowers" is a reminder that even the most unpleasant of things, in this case the heavy rains of April, can bring about very enjoyable things indeed - an abundance of flowers in May (at least Vancouver way!!!)  "April Showers Bring May Flowers" is a lesson in patience and one that remains valid to this day.
 
Many of life's greatest things come only to those who wait and by patiently and happily enduring the clouds and damp of April you can find yourself more easily able to take in the sights and smells of May.  After all, it's easier to love something if you begin with an optimistic outlook!
 
In April we celebrate:
 
RAIN - the trademark of "April Showers Bring May Flowers"
 
TEMPERATURE - another contributing factor to making "April Showers Bring May Flowers."  As the days grow warmer, plants find it easier to grow!
 
WILDLIFE - the springtime sees the return of many animals, birds and insects.
 
The benefits of waiting are great.  The beginning of warmer months  leads into summer, when the highest concentration of plants can be found blooming. 
 
So if you're gloomy about the weather, remember the rhyme "April Showers Bring May Flowers," have patience and BLOOM WHERE YOU'RE PLANTED.
 
Hope you enjoy this months campfire.
 
Till next month, take care.
 
Guider Dusk (Dawn)

flowers-spring.jpg

Campfire Planning Sheet

PROMOTE PARTICIPATION, FUN & FRIENDSHIP

 

Date:

April ___, 2012

 

 

Campfire Leader:

___________________________________

 

 

Campfire Theme:

April Showers Bring May Flowers

 

 

Time Allowed:

60 minutes

 

 

Official Opening:

April Showers (Lyrics by Al Jolson)

 

Campfire Friends (Kate Fearey)

 

 

Well Known Songs:

Singing in the Rain (Action)

 

Mr. Sun

 

 

Round Songs:

Listen to the Earth (4-Part Round)

 

The First Tulip (2-Part Round)

 

 

Part Song:

O Be Joyful (3-Parts)

 

 

Action Songs:

If All the Raindrops

 

April Shower’s Song (Tune:  I’m A Little Teapot)

 

 

Skit:

The Women Who Didn’t Like Rain

 

 

Quieter Songs:

Inch by Inch

 

The Rain Song (Navajo)

 

 

Spiritual:

Joy Is Like the Rain

 

 

Vespers & Taps:

Night Is Falling

 

Taps

 

 

Closing Poem:

April Showers Bring May Flowers

 

 

 

April Showers

 

Though April showers

May come your way,

They bring the flowers

That bloom in May;

And if it’s raining,

Have no regrets;

Because, it isn’t raining rain you know

It’s raining violets.

And when you see clouds

Upon the hill,

You soon will see crowds

Of daffodils;

So keep on looking for the bluebird,

And listening for his song,

Whenever April showers come along.

 

 

Campfire Friends – Kate Fearey

 

We come together in friendship, we sing together for fun.

Hearts and voices blending, in Guiding we are one.

 

Chorus:

Music joins us together,

Our circle’s open whatever,

You’re welcome whoever you are,

Whoever you are.

 

Our love and harmony sharing, through music, rhythm and dance,

Come join us in our circle, we’re Guiding in our hearts.

 

 

Mr. Sun

 

Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun,

Please shine down on me.

 

Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun,

Hiding behind a tree.

 

These little children are asking you

To please come out so we can play with you.

 

Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun,

Please shine down on,

Please shine down on,

Please shine down on me.

 

 

Listen to the Earth (4-Part Round) – Dorothy Lind

 

Listen to the Earth; it's singing to me.

Hear all nature's harmony.

Waterfalls and raindrops, wind and sea.

Sing the song of the Earth to me.

 

 

The First Tulip (2-Part Round)

 

Here look in the garden bed,

something beautiful is growing.

Bright, shaped like a cup,

all red, tulip opens to the sun.

 

Last night it was small and green,

flame like now it is a glowing.

This one is the first I’ve seen,

now sweet weather has begun. 

 

 

O Be Joyful (3-Part Song) – Natalie Sleeth

 

O be joyful; O be jubilant,

Put your sorrows far away,

Come rejoice and sing together this happy day.

 

O be joyful;

O be happy on this day.

 

O be joyful, O be joyful,

O be joyful on this happy day.

 

 

If All of the Raindrops

 

If all of the raindrops were lemon drops and gum drops,

Oh, what a world this would be!

I'd stand outside with my mouth open wide, goin'

Ah, ah ah ah, ah ah ah, ah ah ah,

If all of the raindrops were lemon drops and gum drops,

Oh, what a world this would be!


If all of the moonbeams, were popsicles and ice cream

Oh, what a world this would be!

I'd stand outside with my mouth open wide, goin'

Ah, ah ah ah, ah ah ah, ah ah ah,

If all of the moonbeams, were popsicles and ice cream

Oh, what a world this would be!


If all If all of the snowflakes were lemon tarts and cupcakes

Oh, what a world this would be!

I'd stand outside with my mouth open wide, goin'

Ah, ah ah ah, ah ah ah, ah ah ah,

If all of the snowflakes were lemon tarts and cupcakes

Oh, what a world this would be!

 

 

April Shower’s Song (Tune:  I’m A Little Teapot)

 

Pitter patter raindrops  (wiggle fingers to imitate rain)

Falling from the sky  (wiggle fingers downward)

Here’s my umbrella  (action of opening an umbrella)

Hold it high!  (hands over head)

When the rain is over  (bring hands down slowly)

And the sun begins to glow  (make sun with arms)

Little flowers start to bud  (kneel down)

Then grow, grow, grow!  (slowly stand up)

 

 

The Woman Who Didn’t Like Rain

 

Characters:                

 

Narrator

The Woman Who Didn’t Like Rain

Farmer

Fish

School Children (Two or more)

Weatherman

Robin

 

Setting:                      

Outdoors.  A chair is set upstage center.

 

Narrator:                   

(Enters, stands near wing)

Ladies, there once was a woman who didn’t like rain.  She liked trees and rivers and flowers and lakes, but she just didn’t like rain.  She didn’t like showers nor drizzles nor downpours.

(Sadly shake head.)

She didn’t even like pitters and patters.  As you can see,

(Gesture to wing as Woman enters)

she just didn’t like rain of any kind.

(Woman enters with a large sign reading DOWN WITH RAIN!  She scowls at sky, glumly takes position alongside Narrator.)

 

Narrator:                   

She didn’t like rain because it got her wet all over.

(Woman angrily brushes raindrops from face and shoulders.)

And because it made her slip when she walked.

(Woman slips about a few steps.)

And because she couldn’t go out to water her garden.

(Woman sways imaginary garden hose scowling skyward.)

 

Narrator:                   

So the woman who didn’t like rain spent most of her time just sitting around.

(Woman sits on chair with sign propped on knees.  She gestures skyward for the rain to go away.)

 

Narrator:                   

One day as she sat in the rain, she saw a happy farmer gathering some fruits and vegetables.

(Farmer enters with basket, sets it down, smiles at raining sky, digs potatoes and picks fruit, exits with heavy basket.)

 

Narrator:                   

She also saw a gay little fish swimming in the big, big river.  The river was getting even bigger and bigger because of the heavy rain.

(Fish enters with swimming motions, swim gaily about, swims off stage.)  

 

Narrator:                   

And then she saw some youngsters having lots of fun playing in the rain.

(Children briskly enter to perform various fun-in-the-rain stunts, such as cupping hands to catch rain, hopping over puddles, splashing water on each other.)

One little girl thought it was a good time to get clean!

(A girl stands stage center, pulls towel and soap from pocket, scrubs herself, without disrobing!  Children exit.)

 

Narrator:                   

Then she saw that hard-working fellow, the weatherman!

(Weatherman solemnly enters with up raised umbrella, halts at stage center, faces audience.  Three times he holds out a palm, wipes wet hand on his coat, nods, unfolds and reveals to audience a large sheet of paper which reads, RAIN PREDICTED.  He solemnly exits.)

 

Narrator:                   

And finally the woman who didn’t like rain saw a thirsty little robin who needed a drink of rain-water.

(Robin flies in, hops about, goes through the motions of drinking from a pool, hops off stage.)

 

Narrator:                   

All these things caused the woman who didn’t like rain to think.

(Woman thinks by peering curiously at sky.)

And think.

(Woman stands, thinks harder.)

And think.

(Woman thinks very hard by pacing the floor with head bowed and hands clasped at back.)

She began to think that rain might be pretty good after all.  She thought of all the good things it gave the world.

Like vegetables

(Farmer enters freezes in digging position.)

And rivers

(Fish enters, holds swimming pose.)

And playtime

(Children rush in, freeze in play positions.)   

And weather reports

(Weatherman enters, holds outstretched palm.)

And water to drink.

(Robin flies in holds drinking pose.)

 

Narrator:                   

All of a sudden, the woman who didn’t like rain started really to like rain.  She smiled at the sky.

(Woman smiles upward.)

And smiled even more.

(Woman broadens smile.)

She even laughed!

(Woman laughs, joyously throws arms skyward.)

 

Narrator:                   

(Excitedly)

So she went out and had fun in the rain just like everyone else!

(Woman races in turn to each of the others, briefly acts out their frozen positions, races to her sign DOWN WITH RAIN holds it up to audience with one hand while wildly gesturing skyward for the rain to come down.  As she finishes, the others exit while acting out their roles, for example, the Farmer walks off while picking fruit.  The woman gaily skips off stage while happily holding high her sign.)

                                   

Narrator:                   

And that is how the woman who once said

(Frown.)

Down with rain, finally said

(Smile.)

Down with rain!

(Bow and exit.)

 

 

Inch by Inch – David Mallett

 

Chorus:

Inch by inch, row by row

Gonna make this garden grow

All it takes is a rake and a hoe

And a piece of fertile ground

Inch by inch, row by row

Someone bless these seeds I sow

Someone warm them from below

'Til the rain comes tumbling down    

 

Pulling weeds and pickin' stones
Man is made from dreams and bones
Feel the need to grow my own
'Cause the time is close at hand

Grain for grain, sun and rain
Find my way in nature's chain
To my body and my brain
To the music from the land

Plant your rows straight and long
Thicker than with pray'r and song
Mother Earth will make you strong
If you give her love and care

Old crow watchin' hungrily
From his perch in yonder tree
In my garden I'm as free
As that feathered thief up there

 

 

The Rain Song – Navajo Indian

 

Ah, Ah, Ah, Ah, Ah, Ah

 

Conish, conish par lo shay chic a bin chic a bin pah ko kay

Conish, conish par lo shay chic a bin chic a bin pah ko kay

 

This is a Navajo prayer for rain.  The tapping rhythm accompanies only the first section and is very soft.  It is made by two beats on the thigh, then a triplet and one beat, tapped by two fingers on the opposite palm.  At the end of the song, after a moment’s silence, the rain is heard.  Following the leader’s timing all rub hands together, then clap softly, getting louder and ending by clapping on thighs.

 

 

Joy is Like the Rain – Miriam Theresa Winter

 

I saw raindrops on my window, Joy is like the rain.

Laughter runs across my pane, slips away and comes again,

Joy is like the rain.

 

I saw clouds upon a mountain, Joy is like a cloud.

Sometimes silver, sometimes gray,

Always sun not far away.

Joy is like a cloud.

 

I saw Christ in wind and thunder, Joy is tried by storm.

Christ asleep within my boat, Whipped by wind yet still afloat,

Joy is tried by storm.

 

I saw raindrops on the river, Joy is like the rain.

Bit by bit the river grows, till all at once it overflows,

Joy is like the rain.

 

 

Night Is Falling

 

Night is falling,

Stars are bright.

Have I said my last good-night?

Lord above look down on me

And help me through the night.

 

Thank you for a lovely day.

Thank you for showing me the way.

Thank you for all you have given me,

Good-night, O Lord, good-night.

 

 

April Showers Bring May Flowers – Stephanie Selleck

 

The day begins all sunny and bright;
It fills a young heart entirely with delight.
Then, suddenly the sky turns dark,
Like a horror movie during the approach of a killer shark.

Clouds turn from that cottony white
To a dark grey that is as black as night.
Next, that smell pollutes the air,
That smell that only comes this often one month a year.

The scent of damp leaves creeps nearer and nearer
The smell of a major rainfall now becomes clearer.
The air pressure begins to fall;
I feel like I am carrying, on my shoulders, the entire shopping mall.

Now, as I stand outside in only my new sundress
I realize that I have left my arms vulnerable for goose bumps to caress.
I can hear the wind howl all around,
Sounding like a livid cat shrieking at a hound.

I flee to my house as that soft pitter patter begins to fall
Then grows to the great Civil War, refusing to stop at all.
I feel my cheery mood begin to disperse
From happy-go-lucky to something much worse.

Outside, the only thing I can hear is drip drop, drip drop.
Inside my heart, the only thing I can feel is flip flop, flip flop.
I try to play a game, then read an old novel
But, to my dismay, the only thing I want to do is find Mother Nature and grovel.

Finally, when I begin to loose hope of reaching the end,
Mother Nature decides to send a glow from around the bend.
I can see the gentle breeze blow the storm clouds away
And throw the reins on the rain to hold it at bay.

When I look outside, the sun begins to shine
And I look in that garden that I call mine.
From the ground peaks a little button of green
And I know that May’s breathtaking violet crocuses will soon be seen.

 

It never rains but it pours.
English proverb