This story is a participation story, and was a wonderful success! When Reverend Susan Suchocki and I did this during the Children's Story (at Adult Worship), we made sure that groups of people sitting near each other were chosen to be each "cast member." These folks make their sound effects each time they hear their target word. It makes for a lively, fun group experience! It was hard to tell who liked it best, our adults or our young people (but I suspect it was the adults!). We did the story together, with Rev. Susan as "Sarah," and me as the narrator, but it could easily be read by one person! Enjoy!

Introduction
Our story today needs your help! It is a story about Spring arriving. We still have a couple of weeks until it arrives (at least according to the calendar), but we hope that this story will help you keep spring in your heart, whenever it comes! The cast of characters, and their sound for the story:

winter . . . . . . . . . . Brrrrr

Spring . . . . . . . . . . Ahhhhh

Melt(s, ing) . . . . . . . Sloop-Slop

Crocus . . . . . . . . . . Hi there!

Robins . . . . . . . . . . Tweet Tweet

Pussy Willows . . . . . . . Meow

Wind . . . . . . . . . . . Wooossshhh

Peepers . . . . . . . . . . Peep Peep Peep

(everyone together): There's a sound of spring in the air. one day, Sarah was walking down the street. "My, but it seems like spring is taking a long time to get here this year," she said. "Winter has been so long and cold this year, I don't believe spring will ever come." (Winter people go "Brrrrr") (Spring helpers say, "Ahhhhh")

But as Sarah was walking, she noticed that the winter snow was melting (Melters go "Sloop-Slop") away! And there, underneath the melting snow were little crocus heads (Crocus helpers go "Hi there!") just about to burst into bloom!

"Crocus!" said Sarah joyfully, "I just love crocus flowers! They are surely a sign that winter is leaving! Why, those crocus were there under that melting snow all along!" Sarah continued her walk. Suddenly, across the street, a blur of brown and red flew past . . .

"A robin!" shouted Sarah. (Robin helpers go "Tweet Tweet") "I just love seeing the first robin of spring! Winter is really leaving! First the snow melts, then the crocus comes up, and now the robins have returned! I wonder what sign of spring I'll see next!"

Sarah eagerly continued her walk. It was amazing how much better she was feeling. Why, when she had left her house this morning, she was unhappy, and not just because she had stepped into a puddle of melted snow either! No, Sarah was sure that winter was going to stick around. Somewhere between the crocus and the robin, she found out that spring was slipping in, on quiet cat's paws. Sometimes you have to look carefully to see it, but all at once, the snow is melted away, the spring flowers are all in bloom, from the crocus to the tulips, and spring is all around you!

As Sarah turned the corner, a branch from a bush caught on her sleeve. "Goodness, what is this . . . pussy willows! I can't wait to tell Kim that I found pussy willows, and so near to my house, too! Oooh, they are so soft and fuzzy! It's hard to imagine that in just a few weeks, these fuzzy little things will be long, shiny green leaves!" (Pussy willow helpers say "Meow") Sarah carefully plucked a pussy willow branch and put it into her pocket, being careful that the little pussy willow flowers didn't get knocked off!

"My, oh my, I am so happy that I've seen all these wonderful signs of spring! First the melting snow, then the crocus, then the robin, and now the lovely pussy willows! If only I heard the peepers, then I would know for sure that spring is really, truly here!"

Sarah walked on, thinking about all the wonders of spring, the happy chirping of birds building new nests, the trickle of water in the brooks, the bright warm sun. "I even like the winds, pushing in the warmth. I like to think of it as pushing in spring!" she mused. (Wind helpers make wind sounds "Wooossshhh")

As she came to the bottom of the hill, she looked over the field. what had been a giant expanse of snow was now a huge pond of melted water! Way off in the distance, she could see ducks and geese swimming, and a pair of robins flew overhead. As she stood there and watched the sun setting behind Mt. Monoosnock, thinking about spring, there in the dusky dusk, came a sound. A smile spread on her face . . . yes, yes, it was true . . . Peepers! (Everyone makes Peep Peep of Peepers!)