Patient in the Morning

Patient the snail likes mornings the best.

Every morning she wakes up to the sun shining pink through her shell. She pokes out her feely-feelers, then her nose, then her toes, then she stretches wide into the sun and the dew.

After she eats breakfast, Patient likes to walk around her neighborhood.

She smells the flowers,

Splashes through puddles,

and says hello to her neighbors.

Patient says hello to the robins who fly down from their nests and sing to Patience about their growing chicks

Patient says hello to the bees who buzz to Patient about her favorite flowers.


Patient says hello to the ants who stop their tromping to share a piece of cake

Patient says hello to the squirrels who make her giggle with all their jokes

Patient says hello to the butterflies who hardly say anything, but sit drying their wings in the sun.

story by Kjerstin Evans

photos by Maryn Jenkins