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Inside the bright kitchen, daytime light pouring through a window, Mia stands beside the table holding an open jumbo crayon box toward a seated, wide-eyed Mike. Colorful crayons spill across the table beside blank drawing paper.
Mike and Mia sat at the kitchen table. Mia pulled out a big box of crayons. "These are for you!" she said with a smile. Mike's eyes grew wide. "Wow! Thank you!" he said. The box had every color he could imagine. Red, blue, green, and even sparkly gold. "Let's go outside and draw!" Mia said. They grabbed paper and ran out to the sunny yard. The warm spring air felt wonderful.
On the sunny roadside meadow, midday, Mike kneels with sketchpad while Mia sits in the grass, both facing a passing herd of cows. Several black-and-white cows graze and swish tails behind them, providing live models for the drawings.
Mike pointed across the country road. "Look!" he shouted. A big herd of cows was walking by. The cows munched on the bright green grass. Their tails swished back and forth. Mia sat down and started drawing. She used her crayons to make black and white spots. "Their spots are so pretty," she said. Mike drew a big brown cow eating grass. The cows mooed softly as they passed.
At the pond shore under bright afternoon sun, Mike crouches with crayons beside Mia, both studying a line of geese marching past the water's edge. One goose splashes while another dips its orange beak underwater, ripples glinting around them.
They walked down to the pond. A big gaggle of geese was there. The birds walked in a straight line. They flapped their wings and honked loudly. Mike laughed at their funny waddle. He drew their bright orange beaks and feet. Mia added blue water and green reeds. One goose dipped its head underwater. "They're looking for food," Mike said. The geese splashed and played in the spring sunshine.
Beneath a large leafy tree in soft late-afternoon shade, Mike and Mia sit cross-legged on grass, high-fiving with big smiles. Finished drawings of cows and geese are spread like a colorful picnic blanket between them.
Mike and Mia sat under a shady tree. They spread out their pictures on the grass. Mike's drawings showed happy cows and silly geese. Mia's pictures had colorful spots and bright beaks. "We made a backyard zoo!" Mike said proudly. Mia smiled big. "Spring is the best time for drawing," she said. They high-fived each other. It was a very happy day. The first day of spring was perfect.
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