C3 Ava at 5

At 5 years old, Ava was curious and energetic, always eager to learn new things. One sunny afternoon, she watched her grandpa Matthew tending to his herb garden with great interest. "Grandpa, what are you doing with those plants?" she asked, her eyes wide with wonder. "I'm growing herbs, my dear," he replied, smiling down at her. "They have many uses, both for cooking and for medicine." Ava was fascinated. "Can I learn how to do it, too?" she asked eagerly. "Of course, my dear," Grandpa Matthew said, patting her head. "I'll teach you everything I know. Why don't you come to help me now?".

As Ava worked in the garden with her grandpa Matthew, she often got her dress dirty from kneeling in the soil and handling the plants. But she didn't mind. She loved learning about herbs and their properties, and she was happy to be helping her grandpa in any way she could.

"Grandpa, what does this herb do?" Ava asked, holding up a sprig of lavender to show him.

"Lavender is great for helping people relax and sleep better," he replied, smiling at her. "It can also be used to relieve headaches and muscle pain."

Over the next few years, Ava spent many hours with her grandpa in the garden, learning how to tend to the plants and which ones had medicinal properties. By age eight, she had become his apprentice and showed a natural talent for working with herbs.

Ava's love for the outdoors and the natural world grew more robust each year. Grandpa Matthew would often take Ava to different places each weekend, where they could explore and discover new plants and herbs. They would go to the nearby forests, hills, and fields, sometimes even venturing into the countryside. The fresh air, the sunshine, and the greenery were all balm to Ava's soul, and she would often skip and run ahead, eager to explore every nook and cranny.

Ava would point out all the different plants and flowers she could see as they walked through the countryside, and Grandpa Matthew would tell her their names and properties. Then, they would stop by streams and rivers, where Grandpa Matthew would teach her how to identify the different types of aquatic plants and how they could be used for medicinal purposes.

"Grandpa, what's this plant called?" Ava would ask, pointing to a tall green plant with feathery leaves. "That's yarrow, my dear," Grandpa Matthew replied, his eyes sparkling with pride. "It's great for stopping bleeding and reducing inflammation."

Ava would listen intently, soaking up every bit of knowledge she could.

Ava loved getting her hands dirty and exploring the natural world. She often returned from their weekend adventures covered in dirt, with leaves and twigs tangled in her hair and dirt stains on her dress. But she didn't mind, for she was happy and content, having learned something new and exciting about the world around her.