Who is that, trip-tramping?

A garden bridge showed up on the porch last week in a big box. Thanks, Dad for the surprise! John had it put together in about an hour.

We hauled it outside and stained it with wood preservative. We fondly call it "The Bridge to Nowhere."

The bridge was kiddo tested and dog approved this weekend.  Little feet ran back and forth many times, and it did not fall apart. Nana talked about the "Three Billy Goat Gruffs" story:

The air was crisp and cool. The sky was an endless blue. The green meadow grass swayed in a gentle breeze. And Big Billy Goat Gruff was bored. "I am tired of eating in the same old field every day," he told his brothers. "I want to eat in the meadow on the far side of the stream."

"Ohhh no, Big Billy Goat," said little brother. "We cannot walk through the stream for it is too deep and too fast. We would be swept away!"

"And we cannot walk over the bridge," said middle brother, "because there is a big troll under the bridge who will gobble us up if we try to cross it." 

"I am not afraid of the troll," said Big Billy Goat Gruff, tossing his bold head with the huge round horns. He stamped the ground - once, twice, thrice - with his big hooves. "Let him try to eat me! We shall see who wins the fight!"

The three billy goats put their heads together and whispered for a long time. Finally they broke the huddle and all three of them trotted across the wide meadow to the narrow bridge. Trip-trap, trip-trap. His little hooves made the bridge spring up and down as they moved carefully forward.

 A pair of huge round eyes peered out from the darkness under the bridge. "Who's that trip-trapping over my bridge?" rumbled the troll. A big hairy arm reached out from the darkness and huge fingers gripped the rail beside Little Billy Goat Gruff. 

And so on...

The little girls went home, and the bridge found a new place in a very crowded yard.

 

For now, I think it's perfect in this corner by the front door.  And the troll can settle in to wait for the return of the billy goats.