I hope that you have a great summer, swimming, diving underwater, exploring the beach, riding your bike or walking in the woods with your family.

Hello, Summer, how are you today?
I’m so glad that you have come my way
Hello, Summer, say, you’re looking fine
We’ll go swimming everyday in the sunshine.

We’ll go chasing dragonflies down by the stream
Or watch the clouds, dancing as we dream
No more school, we’ll stay up at night
Telling scary stories by the firelight!

By Charlotte Diamond, from “Hello Winter”
recorded on Diamonds and Dragons

William Waters Nana’s Flowers!

The flowering trees and bushes in my garden were very beautiful this spring although it was cooler and rainy around Vancouver. Our cherry blossoms lasted for almost a month and they fell like pink snow on the windy days.

Soon, I know that it will be much hotter and we will need to water the garden to keep everything healthy and growing.

I love planting flowers, like yellow marigolds, pink geraniums, red roses, purple petunias and white dahlias.  Remember, “Each of us is a flower, growing in life’s garden.  Each of us is a flower; we need the sun and rain”.

The rain is so important – it helps to put out forest fires, keeps the streams and rivers filled with fresh water for the fish, insects, frogs and us, too!  Do you like to swim and dive in the lakes and the ocean?  They are all made up of tiny drops of water, falling from the sky as snow and rain. I wrote a song on my album, Charlotte Diamond’s World, called “We Need Water”, that has many ideas of how we need and use water every day. “We need water to fill the seas, to grow trees, to brush our teeth, to plant our crops, to wash our socks, for snow and rain.  Let’s say it again! Don’t waste the water, water, water, water, water!”

The birds love coming into the backyard to drink water from the puddles.  One summer, in early July, we had a baby crow living in our garden. It had fallen from the nest in our tall cedar tree before it had learned to fly. Its parents would not let anyone come near and would chase us away, tapping us with their big black wings. They fed the baby crow insects and tried to help it learn to fly. Her parents were very protective and both the mother and father would “caw” whenever we were in the back yard. After two weeks of watching, the baby was able to fly away and our yard become quiet again! Crows are just like us, they have families and they like to be together in groups. There is so much to see when we go walking outdoors.

Earth, Water, Air and Fire

When I go walking I like to see
The waves on the water, the flowers in the fields;
My brothers and sisters, the friends on my street
Laughing and playing and singing so free.

Chorus

Earth and Water, Air and Fire,
The worm digs deeper and the robin flies higher.
We’re all part of one family,
The sun and the earth and you and me,
The sun and the earth and you and me.

From “Diamond and Dragons” and “24 Carrot Diamond – The Best of Charlotte Diamond”

Performance of “Earth, Water, Air and Fire” with the students of Roberta Bondar Public School, Brampton, Ontario

I enjoy writing songs in the summer.  It is the best time for dreams and imagination.

Visit my Hug Bug Club often on my website. The Spring Newsletter has lots of ideas for cleaning your room and chasing the Clutter Bugs away!  There are also Hug Bug newsletters in French and Spanish (en français y en español).

P.S. Write to me often! I love to receive your pictures and letters!

To join the Hug Bug Club,
please send your name and address
to our NEW mailing address:

Charlotte Diamond
The Hug Bug Club
5005 Vista View Crescent
Nanaimo, BC V9V 1L6
CANADA

or email fanmail@charlottediamond.com