Web hosting Custom Email SiteBuilder

Old Joshua Sha'peto looked up at the morning sun and stretched as he awoke one fine Saturday morning. He dressed, put on his favorite cap, then went outside. Mr. Sha'peto had a round, little face, somewhat wrinkled with age, and snow-white hair. He was older than many folk, but he still preferred to get up early to greet the day.

Since he'd retired from work, Mr. Sha'peto loved spending time in his garden. He covered half his backyard with different kinds of trees and bushes and flowers, and made a path between and around them. He even put up a bird feeder.

Each day, Mr. Sha'peto would get out his old misting can and mist his flowers and plants, one by one, ever so carefully. As he worked, he would sing to them as if they were his little children. He would praise them for growing so well.

"Cha da dee, cha da da, you will grow strong and free; cha da dee, cha da da, I will take care of thee. You are tall and strong, and growing beautifully, too; I will stay right here and I'll look after you."

That afternoon, as Mr. Sha'peto was finishing his work, little Sally Petersen came by and saw him in his garden. Sally was eight years old. Her little brown curls hid her forehead and would cover her sparkling, green eyes soon. She stood by the fence and watched Mr. Sha'peto take care of his beautiful plants and flowers.

It was his singing that kept her there most of all. She could listen to his song all day long.

Now, Mr. Sha'peto had only a bit of misting left to do that day. He told Sally she could come back again the next day to watch him work, if she liked.

Sunday morning came, but Sally Petersen didn't show up at the fence all alone. She brought her best friend Isabelle Darling with her to listen to Mr. Sha'peto sing. Isabelle lived next door to Sally. They were the best of friends. They shared stories and toys, and they even had the same kind of curly hair, though Sally's hair was blond. The two girls stood by the fence and listened to Mr. Sha'peto. Sally and Isabelle were almost lulled to sleep by Mr. Sha'peto's misting song.

"Cha da dee, cha da da, you will grow strong and free; cha da dee, cha da da, I will take care of thee. . ."

The following weekend, when Mr. Sha'peto came out to mist his garden, he saw not two or four, but eight eyes staring back at him! Sally and Isabelle had told two other friends about his wonderful garden and song. Trisha and Katie Appleton were identical twins. They both had light brown hair, parted in the middle, and purple barrettes on either side. Both girls were just a bit taller than Sally and Isabelle, but they were the same age. Mr. Sha'peto waved to the four girls, then began his work. As he misted his garden, he sang.

"Cha da dee, cha da da, you will grow strong and free; cha da dee, cha da da, I will take care of thee. . ."

From then on, the four girls came every Saturday they could, to keep him company while he worked. Mr. Sha'peto greeted them at the fence with a friendly, "Hello." He asked them how they were doing in school, and always reminded them to ask their parent's permission before spending so much time at his fence.

"I wouldn't want any of you to get into trouble," he would say in his grandfather voice.

So the girls kept visiting The Misting Man as often as they could.

The following Spring, old Joshua Sha'peto had a little trouble walking around. His bones were getting old. After all, he wasn't a young snipper any longer. His sister, Margaret, arrived from her home in New Hampshire to help him. Mr. Sha'peto was going to live with her.

Margaret was younger than her brother. Her hair was more a golden white than gray. The lines on her face were visible, but she was still pretty. Margaret had a house with plenty of room for her brother. She hadn't seen him too often the last few years, and regretted not visiting him more. They were best friends when they were growing up together.

"I'm glad we get a chance to catch up, Joshua," she told her brother her first morning there.

"I'm glad, too, Sis," he said. "I've missed our chats."

"What about your garden--who will take care of it?"

"I'm sure the people who buy my house will see to it," Joshua replied.

The garden was magnificent. Margaret saw more healthy plants and flowers than she'd seen before. It was as if she were visiting the city's botanical garden.

It's a shame my poor brother won't be able to take care of it any longer. Margaret would be able to look after Joshua at her home, but she didn't know if she'd have time to keep a garden there.

Just then, four children appeared at the fence near the garden. Margaret was surprised to see them. She asked one of them who they were looking for there. It was Sally Petersen.

Sally told Margaret all about how they loved to watch her brother mist his garden and sing his song. They called him The Misting Man.

"My brother is having trouble walking, so he's inside. He's getting older."

"Do you know his song?" Sally asked.

"I don't think so. Why don't you sing it for me," Margaret told the girls.

Sally and her friends began singing Mr. Sha'peto's misting song.

I know that song, thought Margaret. That's the song our father hummed all the time when he was taking care of his own garden!

"That's a wonderful gardening song," Margaret said. "Our father used to hum that all the time. Why don't you come back tomorrow, and I'll have a surprise for you."

The next day, Margaret got some tools from her brother's tool shed. Carefully, she dug up four of the many plants, and she replanted them in little containers. When the girls came by, she gave a plant to each of them. She told them that her brother was going to live with her, and that they should take the plants home to start their own gardens. The girls left singing, going straight home to plant their new treasures.

Then, Margaret picked up her brother's old misting can by the porch. She wanted the garden to last as long as possible.

Margaret sang while she misted, and thought of her brother, The Misting Man. He would have many stories to tell her in New Hampshire, no doubt.

"Cha da dee, cha da da, you will grow strong and free; cha da dee, cha da da, I will take care of thee. . ."