Big Help

Yesterday, my three-year-old friend from across the street came over to help me mulch my garden. She wielded my digging fork while I tossed leaves into the barrow with a pitch fork.

"Wow!" I marveled. "Your body has to work about 5 times as hard as mine to get the same amount done. Is it hard for you?"

"No," she said with a shy smile. "I am a big help to my momma all the time."

"Are you?" I asked.

"Yes," she said. "I keep my fingers out of my nose."

"Really?" I failed to suppress a smile. "And that helps?"

"When we make cookies," she said.