Authors: Wanda E. Brunstetter
Green Fever
© 2013 by Wanda E. Brunstetter
ISBN
978-1-62416-286-2
eBook Editions:
Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-62836-269-5
Kindle and MobiPocket Edition (.prc) 978-1-62836-270-1
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All German Dutch words are from the Revised Pennsylvania Dutch Dictionary found in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
Scripture quotations marked
NIV
are taken from the H
OLY
B
IBLE
N
EW
I
NTERNATIONAL
V
ERSION
®.
NIV
®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, and/or events is purely coincidental.
Cover illustration by Colleen Madden/MB Artists
Published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 719, Uhrichsville, OH 44683,
www.barbourbooks.com
Our mission is to publish and distribute inspirational products offering exceptional value and biblical encouragement to the masses
.
Printed in the United States of America.
Dickinson Press, Inc., Grand Rapids, MI 49512; October 2013; D10004153
EDICATION
To my friend Diane Allen, who created a special spot for the frogs that visit her garden.
LOSSARY
ach–oh
blumme–flowers
boppli–baby
bruder–brother
bu–boy
daed–dad
danki–thanks
dumm–dumb
dunner–thunder
felse–rocks
fleissich–busy
frosch–frog
fuuss–foot
gfarlich–dangerous
gnechel–ankle
Gut nacht.–Good
night.
hungerich–hungry
hund–dog
jah–yes
katz–cat
kichlin–cookie
kinner–children
kumme–come
mamm–mom
melke–milk
naerfich–nervous
nixnutzich–naughty
oi–egg
rutschich–squirming
schee–pretty
schtinke–stink
schmaert–smart
schpass–fun
schtock–bush
verhuddelt–confused
warem–worm
wasser–water
wedderleech–lightning
Wie geht’s?–How are you?
wunderbaar–wonderful
zaeh–teeth
zehe–toes
ONTENTS
C
HAPTER
1
Sneaky Frog
A-choo! A-choo!
Mattie Miller sneezed as the wind lifted a cloud of green clippings and spread it across the yard. Her nine-year-old twin brother, Mark, was busy mowing the lawn and didn’t seem to notice the trail of grass he’d kicked up with the push mower as it swirled through the air. Mattie was glad mowing the grass wasn’t one of her after-school chores. She’d be sneezing even worse if she had to push the old mower. Mark had said earlier that he enjoyed doing it, though—especially since it was the first mowing of the season. Once the grass had been cut, it made the whole yard look nice and tidy. The lawn even looked healthier and thicker after a good mowing.
Watching her brother, Mattie thought about how earlier this morning during breakfast, he had pulled a fast one on her. She’d eaten half of her dippy egg and was reaching for the toast to finish dabbing up the yoke when she discovered the toast that had been there a few seconds ago was gone. Since Mattie had been daydreaming during breakfast, she wondered if she’d eaten the other half of her toast without realizing it. She had been about to ask Mom if she could have another piece when she glanced over at Mark and saw a sly look on his face. That prankster had taken her toast! Mark liked to play tricks and make people laugh, but Mattie didn’t think the joke he’d played on her this morning was funny.
Shrugging her thoughts aside, Mattie hurried across the yard to her little garden plot, anxious to see if any flowers had come up. It was springtime now—Mattie’s favorite season of the year—especially after a long, cold winter. Today in Walnut Creek, the air felt warmer than it had yesterday. Even with the little bit of wind, it was nice enough not to be wearing a coat. Mattie was in good spirits, and even Mark’s little joke at breakfast hadn’t ruined her mood.
Signs of spring were everywhere, and winter’s harshness was finally behind them. Local markets were already selling different types of flowers. They were bursting with color and their lingering scent, and Mattie couldn’t help but feel happy just being around all the colorful blossoms.
Even though the pollen from trees could be a nuisance, it was heavy in the air as the leaves started sprouting, leaving layers of green dust on everything it clung to. On a breezy day like this, Mattie could see a haze of green swirling off the pine branches where it had also settled.
Pollen and grass made Mattie sneeze, but flowers gave her a wonderful feeling. She’d planted some tulip, crocus, and daffodil bulbs last fall and figured they should break through the ground most any day. She couldn’t wait to see them, and when they bloomed, she planned to pick a bouquet for Mom, or maybe she would decorate the fence, like she’d done last summer.
Kneeling on the grass, Mattie peered at the soil near the wooden sign Dad had made for her garden. It said: M
ATTIE’S
C
ORNER
.
Using her hands, Mattie removed a clump of wet leaves that had blanketed the garden during the winter, but so far, there was no sign of the flowers. To Mattie’s surprise, a small green frog hopped out of the upside down clay pot Grandpa Troyer had given Mark to use as a frog house. With a noisy
Ribet! Ribet!—it
jumped and landed in the ceramic dish filled with water that Mark had gotten for Christmas and used as a frog pool.
“Mark,
kumme—come
quick!” Mattie shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth. “Your
frosch
just came out of hibernation!”
Mark apparently didn’t hear Mattie shouting at him, for he kept mowing with a big grin on his face. He sure seemed to be enjoying himself as he pushed that old lawn mower back and forth across the lawn.
Mattie knew her brother would be even more excited than she was to see the frog, so she jumped up, raced across the yard, and tapped Mark’s shoulder.
“What do ya want?” Mark asked, stopping what he was doing and turning to face Mattie. His cheeks were flushed, almost matching his thick, red hair. “Can’t you see that I’m
fleissich?”
“I realize that you’re busy, but I wanted you to know that a frosch came out of the frog house, and he’s in the little frog pond you made for him.”
Mark let go of the mower and raced across the yard. Mattie followed right on his heels. When they reached her little garden plot, Mark dropped to his knees and peered at the ceramic dish. “There’s nothin’ in here but water,” he mumbled. “No sign of a frosch at all.”
Mattie stared at the dish, unbelieving. “But—but he was here a few minutes ago.”
Mark squinted his blue eyes while frowning at Mattie. “Are you tryin’ to get even with me ’cause I teased you at breakfast this morning?”
She shook her head so hard that the ties on her black head covering swished around her face. “I am not trying to get even. There really was a frosch, and it must be around here someplace.”
Mark grunted. “Well there’s not one here now, and I need to get back to mowin’ the lawn. I wanna get it done so I have time to play.” He hurried off before Mattie could say anything more.
“Mark doesn’t believe me. He thinks I made it all up,” Mattie muttered, going down on her knees. Still no sign of that disappearing frog. If she had made up the story about seeing the frog, it would have been a good way to get back at Mark for taking her piece of toast this morning. But Mattie knew it wouldn’t be right to get even.
“Whatcha lookin’ at?” Mattie’s six-year-old brother, Perry, asked when he joined her beside the garden.
“I was looking for Mark’s frosch,” Mattie replied. “It was here before, but now it’s gone.”
Perry, who had blond hair like Dad’s, pointed to the small green bush behind the garden plaque Mattie had made Mark for Christmas. “Is that a frosch, sittin’ under the
schtock?”
Mattie bent down for a closer look. Sure enough, the frog sat under a bush, all puffed out, as big as you
please. Ribet! Ribet! Ribet!
Mattie jumped up, raced across the lawn, and stopped behind Mark. Perry followed her there. “That frosch is back,” she said, tapping Mark’s shoulder.
Mark quit mowing, and his eyes widened. “Are you sure about that?”
She gave a quick nod.
“Jah
. Perry spotted the frosch under a schtock.”
Perry bobbed his head in agreement, looking quite pleased with himself.
Mark wiped his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand, leaving a streak of green above his eyebrows. “You’d better not be teasin’ about this, Mattie. I don’t have time for silly games.”
“I’m not teasing.” Mattie grabbed her brother’s hand and led him over to the bush. Perry came, too. “Your frosch is right there,” she said, pointing to the spot where she and Perry had seen the frog.
Mark got down on his knees and peered under all sides of the bush. “There’s no frosch here.” He clambered to his feet and shook his finger at Mattie, the way Mom sometimes did when she was scolding one of her children or trying to make a point. “Now, enough with your silly games! I have work to do.” With that, he dashed across the yard and started mowing the lawn again. This time Perry went with Mark and helped push the mower. Mattie thought their little brother would just get in the way, but Mark didn’t seem to mind, for he began to whistle as he and Perry moved the mower around the yard.