A Surprising Catch.

 

Hamish and Breeze were fishing. The moon hovered over them high in the sky.  The river flow was slow.

“The river looks tired.” Breeze whispered.

“Lets hope the fish are hungry and tired.” Hamish stuck his fishing line in the water. The line ran from the water to a low branch of the oak tree. Near the top of the branch Hamish had fixed some tiny bells. “They will wake me when the fish has been caught.” He told Breeze who kept staring at the bells.

“I should have thought of some bells,” Breeze said and settled down for a nap.

They woke when a fox jumped onto Breeze’s chest.  Breeze sat up and shouted “we’ve caught one.”

Hamish looked at their fishing lines.They sat quietly they didn’t jig about in the water.  “I don’t think so, it was Harry the fox, blame him.”

Harry apologised to Breeze for waking him adding, “she scares me. And she is a little crazy as well.”

Breeze and Hamish watched the fox run across some stones along the river bed and vanish into the dark field behind them.

“I wonder who scares him. How shall we find out?” Hamish asked as he spotted a  stripey sock lying on the path close to them. They walked to the sock. Hamish sniffed it. “Lovisma, it smells of lavender and she likes lavender.”

“Lovisma loves her crazy coloured socks, why would she drop it here?” Breeze walked along the path and found another sock, this one had dots on it. They continued through the wood finding out bits of clothes here and there. A hat sat on a gooseberry bush, a  dress hung from a branch and a long scarf blew amongst the leaves in the willow tree. As they went they picked the items up and Breeze stuffed them in his pockets. He smiled because he had solved the puzzle.

“I know a crazy collie who likes to steal socks, but I won’t set Lovisma on her.”Breeze said. “I like crazy collies called Ellie.”

The sun was rising and the moon was heading to bed as they arrived at Lovisma’s house. Elegant and Lovisma were in the kitchen arguing. They could hear because the windows were open.

“I don’t understand who steals our clothes? I mean who would want to do it and why?”

“It is very bothersome. It means we have to keep zapping up new socks. It is  a little tiresome.” Lovisma told her older sister.

“What I don’t understand is how it always happens when it is your turn to do the laundry. It is strange.” Elegant said.

“Let’s be kind neighbour’s and return the washing.” Hamish suggested. “Afterall Elegant is a very kind witch.”

They emptied Breeze’s giant pockets and left the socks and hats in a heap on the porch.

“Go hide.” Hamish told Breeze.

Breeze ran into the wood, Hamish rang the doorbell, then hid.

Elegant answered the door saying, “Good morning….” She stopped and stared at the heap of washing. Then she did a little jig and dance on the front porch before pointing her wand at the clothes and ordering them to march indoors.

Breeze and Hamish heard Elegant say, “Good news Lovisma, you won’t be bored today, some kind neighbour has found our washing.Now lets make sure these socks  in pairs.”

The two friends decided doing nice things made them extra hungry so they forgot about their fishing lines and went to Hamish’s house to cook an extra large breakfast.

 

Sally’s Smiling Sunflowers

Part 3.

Sally wondered what would make Mr. Blunt happy. She wanted to see him smile. “Everyone should smile sometime,” she whispered.

Her dad heard her. He said “If you do that you will be the biggest and best smile maker in the whole world.”

This is Sally as  the worlds biggest, best smile maker for you to colour.

*********************

 

 

The hunt for the Snow Dragon.

Snowflakes twirled and danced about Molly. ” I love snow,” she said.

“Woof” Bob said jumping around her.

Molly whispered, “Quiet Bob. A  Snow Dragon might hear us and run away.”

The dog nudged her with his nose, making her giggle.

They began their search in the garden. No Snow Dragon. They walked through the gate, looking right and left. Molly walked past Gran’s kitchen door. They looked in the garden shed, and behind the coal bags but didn’t find a Snow Dragon. They did meet many birds and Gran’s fat cat.

They walked to the front garden. They met the postman. “Hi Molly. Where are you going?” he asked.

“We are going to catch a Snow Dragon.” She whispered.

“Well – don’t let him catch you.” He said.

“No we won’t.” Molly told him.

Bob looked behind every tree.  Molly looked at the bare branches. No Snow Dragon. “Not even a squirrel, Bob.” She said.

Molly looked behind them. The snow was falling onto the ground covering her footprints. She couldn’t see her house. “Let’s go home,” She said.

Molly made a snow ball. She threw it. “Go get it Bob,” She said.

He sat and watched it land.  Molly sighed. Bob never chased tennis balls.

“Lets make a snowman instead.” She began by making a small ball and then dropped it on the ground. As she rolled it along the ground the snowball changed from being a round ball into a wobbly, wonky shape. It was big and getting bigger. Finally she reached her garden,  they left it there and went indoors .

It was warm inside. Molly felt tired. She forgot about her snowball but told dad about her search for a Snow Dragon.

“I think there are no Snow Dragons,” she said. Molly felt sad.

“Maybe they are shy, creatures. Perhaps you should send an email to one and see what happens.”

“What would I say?” She liked this idea.

“That you believe in them but you would love to know what they look like. Wait then and see what happens. Granddad always said, they were magical creatures.”

Molly wiggled her nose as she thought about this. “Let’s do it, can you help please?”

The email was sent and Molly went to bed.

Next morning she got up and peeped out the window.

Her heart jumped for there in the garden was a large dragon. He was white and very still. Molly raced outside to see him. “Its a Snow Dragon.” She said to her dad who came to look at it. “He is not alive though he is just made of snow, how did he get here?”

“Molly you did say you would love to know what they look like, didn’t you?”

“I did. Now I know they are amazing.” She giggled, “he looks like Bob does when you say no to him.”

They took pictures of the Snow Dragon and a large picture hangs on Molly’s bedroom wall in case she forgets what they look like.

What Breeze hates most…..

Everyone in the wood knows the green faced Ogre called Breeze loves trees, cupcakes and food in general. But Breeze was surprised one afternoon when Lily refused to eat her broccoli and instead of grumbling about being told to eat it. She said “Everyone I know hates something but what do you hate Mr. Breeze?”

He crunched on his own raw broccoli and considered his answer carefully.

Lily pushed her vegetables around on her plate while she waited for his answer.

“I hate, Rain.”

“Why?” She smiled up at him and when he looked away she slid some broccoli on his plate.

“Because it makes sitting on branches of trees difficult, I keep sliding off.” He rammed a piece of broccoli into his large mouth.

Her answering giggles didn’t please him. Lily noticed and said, “Sorry but you like sliding on branches.”

“Yes but not when I am trying to sleep and there is this picture I got from that sneaky dog – Bob.”

Lily sat up, delighted that Bob had been mentioned as this meant the whole problem of eating or not eating broccoli would now be forgotten. “Bob? What has he done?”

“He watches me falling off branches in the rain and I bet he laughs a lot at it.” Breeze scratched his chin and looked very bothered at this thought.”

“Can I see the photo?” She asked

While Breeze ambled to the back of his cave to collect the picture Lily pushed the remaining broccoli onto his plate just in time as Breeze returned.

“See, what he does?”

 

 

“He is a clever Dog, hiding from the rain,” she mumbled. She noticed Breeze’s sad expression and suggested, “But he doesn’t make Lily the nicest Ice cream sundaes in the whole wide world.”

Breeze grinned. “You are correct, lets go and make some extra large ones.”

Lily jumped down from her chair only too happy that the horrible broccoli was now forgotten.

Muddy Puddles and Ally McDuff

 

Ally

Scruff

 

Ally McDuff has a best friend named Scruff.  He has a thick warm coat, four paws, a curly tail and a big smiley face.

Ally and Sruff love doing things together.

 

Trouble is they always get dirty.

“Stay clean, Ally.” Mum said.

Minutes later they were digging. Ally used a shovel. Scruf used his paws. “We will find the Pirates treasure soon, Scruff, ” she said.

By tea time they found:

An old smelly sock,

a bone,

an funny shaped blue glass bottle.

Ally peeped through the blue bottle and said, “Even you are blue, Scruff.”

“Woof” he said.

Ally looked at Scruff.  He was no longer white and black. He was dirty from nose to tail.

“This means a bath, Scruff,” Ally whispered.  She looked at her arms, she was dirty too.

“Maybe Mum won’t see it. Let’s hide.” They ran indoors.

Scruff hid under Ally’s bed. She squeezed in beside him.  “Mum won’t find us here” She said.

Mum did.  They washed Scruff first. He hated being washed.  He looked sad and wet when he was clean.

Ally was next. “Wash behind your ears,” Mum said.

When they were nice and shiny again, mum said, “Ally you are always getting dirty, someday…you might stay clean.”

“Tomorrow Scruff we will be clean all day.” Ally whispered.

Ally decided if they were to be clean, then Gran was the person to be with. Gran was the cleanest person for miles around. Her house shone in the sunlight. Her garden was squeaky clean. Though Ally wondered if the squeaky noise was made by the mice playing in the hedge.

“No chasing mice Scruff, today we will stay clean.” She said as they walked into Gran’s kitchen.

Gran was baking gingerbread men. Ally helped. Scruff sat on a stool and watched. When they put the gingerbread men in the oven to cook. shoes. Scruff has it on his fur.”

 

Gran looked at them and smiled. “Ahh Ally you and Scruff are wearing a lot of the mixture on your face, your clothes and your face.”

Ally scowled all the way home.  She looked grumpy during and after her bath.

Next day they decided to stay indoors. Ally loved painting. Scruff joined in, splodges of paint flew around the room.

When they were finished they showed the painting to mum. “It’s great, I love it even Scruffs paw prints.”

She looked at them and sighed. “Ally you are both covered in paint.”

Ally groaned. One bath later they were sitting having tea.

“How can we stay clean?” Ally wondered.

“I have an idea,” dad said.

Next morning he said to Ally, “you are coming to help me today. I am going to wash my car and Gran’s. You and scruff can help.”

Ally looked at the bucket of water and the sponge. They couldn’t get dirty could they?

They began to wash the cars. When the y were finished the cars were shining and clean. But when they looked at each other, they were all dirty, even Dad.

“Ahh no Dad, another bath?”

“Sorry Ally, it was my fault. Don’t worry though I will make up for it tomorrow.”

Ally spent the night wondering how they were going to manage to stay clean.

Next morning Dad said “I have a reward for my two helpers, we are going out.”

He brought them to the park where they had fun on the slides, swings and roundabouts, even Scruff had a go.

They came home squeaky clean.

Well done. Ally. Mum said. “You are shining like a new Ally.”

Book Launched

Happy New Year to everyone.

I am sorry for not being around much in the past few months. A sticky internet problem left me without a means to post on my blog site. That and the happy fact of launching my first Children’s book has kept me off this site for a while.

Here is an image of the book, which is available on amazon.co.uk and on www.emuink.ie website.

 

What is the story about?

Clearie, a one hundred year old schoolhouse, is fed up.

For so long he has helped children get educated but been rewarded only by their complaints about how much they hate school.

He longs to get away

His dream is to go to France, a country he has heard so much about in geography lessons over the years – but how could a schoolhouse possibly travel?

He comes up with a plan and enlists the help of the the Buggy twins: but not everything works out as he hoped.

With an attic full of crazy crabs, led by the fearless Lancelot, his journey is less than enjoyable and in his absence the school system falls apart.

Will Clearie’s dreams come true and the children get their wish for schooldays to end forever? Or has everyone bitten off more than they can chew?

 

 

Lilian’s Friend : Part two.

Tulip was surprised when Breeze offered to mind Lilian the following afternoon. “I won’t have time to bake you pies or cupcakes.” She told him.

“I don’t want any pies or cupcakes.” Breeze said.

Tulip frowned. “Are you feeling okay?”

“I am fine. Lilian is helping me with the ducks. They are not running away from me anymore.” He told her with his fingers crossed. And it was sort of true. They weren’t running away from him because he hid behind the biggest bramble bush he could find.

Much later when he was sitting with his back to a tree he asked Lilian to tell him more about the angel called April.

“I don’t know anything else except she is nice. But why don’t you ask her yourself.” Lilian said and moved closer to the pond to chat with the ducks. Breeze smiled as he heard her talking to the ducks.

Breeze looked around the woodland and the pond. He could see nothing but Lilian, ducks, ducklings, trees, water and the clouds. “I don’t know where she is.” He muttered.

Then he heard it. A soft giggling, gurgling sound,  like water flowing across loose gravel. “So you are here. Can I see you?” When he got no answer he said, “Please, can I see you.”

She appeared as slowly and gently as a Summer mist. The air shimmered and he saw a pair of tiny feet encased in green slippers, a long flowing dress and finally her smiling face framed in chestnut coloured hair. Her wings were glimmering in the light.

Breeze thought she looked very frail. He stared at her. “You are tiny. How can such a tiny angel mind so many trees and keep them happy?”

She shrugged her shoulders and whispered, “Angel dust.”

Breezed nodded. “Ahh, I understand, ” he said though he didn’t really understand.

She smiled. “I will show you, when Lilian is ready to go, there is a sad lonely tree living near Lovisma’s house. I think the tree is afraid of the troublesome witch.”

“April, you came to see me.” Lilian ran up to them and hugged the fairy.

“Of course I did, now would you like to help me?”

“Yes, please.” Lilian danced about them as they walked.

They stopped before an odd looking tree. “It looked bigger yesterday.” Breeze whispered.

“Yes he is trying to make himself small and invisible.” April replied.

She walked towards the tree and slowly flew upwards to the very tip of the tree. As she moved upward, there was a gentle rustling noise as the leaves in the tree sprang to life, catching the sunlight and dancing about. The movement crept along the branches making them stretch outwards and upwards. Then he noticed the trunk of the tree grew broader,  and moved towards the sky.

“It is growing,” Breeze said.

Lilian giggled. “No it is stretching and wait for it.” She stood pointing at the tree.

As each branch bent gracefully towards the sun high above it looked to him like the tree was – smiling.

“It is smiling.” He said and noticed April was back at his side.

“Yes it is. That is what my fairy dust does. ”

Breeze smiled. “Thank you for showing me. I never knew it until now. I will try to h elp by telling the trees jokes and talking to them.”

“Thank you  Mr. Breeze that would be a great help.” With a wave and a smile she left them.

Lilian’s friend.

Breeze’s view of the sky and fields

Breeze was minding Lilian. Tulip promised him one dozen lemon blackberry pies if he would mind her for a while. The thought of eating the pies made his lips water and his eyes grew large as he imagined how big they might be.  His stomach gurgled.

Lilian giggled. Breeze looked at her and said, “Would you like to go to the pond to watch the new ducklings taking a swiming lesson?”

Lilian loved the idea of watching the ducks swim. “Last time, I watched one little duck who seemed to be stuck. He kept going around in circles so I jumped in and helped him. His mummy didn’t like it because she gave out to me, a lot.”

Breeze smiled. “Don’t worry if it happens again I will jump up and save you, the ducks are afraid of me.”

They began the trek to the far side of the wood. Breeze hoisted Lilian onto his shoulders and she told him all the animals she could see. Suddenly she giggled, “There she is again.”

“Who? I don’t see anyone.” Breeze frowned because lately he had the feeling he was being followed. But no matter how fast he spun about , he couldn’t catch sight of them. He whispered, “Who are they? Are they following us?”  He couldn’t hear anything.

“You are funny Mr. Breeze, your ears are twitching like a rabbits. No she isn’t really following us as she is doing her job. ”

Breeze reached up and carefully took Lilian from his shoulder and placed her on the ground in front of him.  Bending low he asked, “Who is she? And what is her job?”

Lilian spun about on her toes, “It’s April, the angel who minds the trees and makes sure they never feel sad.”

Breeze sat on the ground.  “I never thought of trees feeling sad, why would they?” He mumbled.

“I don’t know, April says it is to do with losing their leaves and the biting northerly wind and nasty hairstones.”

Breeze nodded, “Okay. But it is hail stones not hairstones.”

“Oohh. ” Lilian reached her hand out to a passing butterfly who  landed on her hand. “You look tired,” she told the butterfly.

Breeze thought the butterfly looked upset at being told he looked tired but decided to say nothing. The butterfly flew away and Lilian darted after h im towards the duck pond. Breeze followed thinking, I never knew about a tree fairy, I wonder what she looks like? I will find out soon.

Part two to follow.

7 Ways to avoid becoming an Ogre’s snack.

1. Look Happy.

Ogres’ love happy people and beings. Grumpy witches make them itch.

2. Sing soft lullabyes, Ogre’s love music and have a penchant for napping.

3.  Smell like a bar of chocolate. They love smelling chocolate but hate eating it. The downside of this is if you are a slow mover you may be caught and given a cuddle,  which is tantamount to being squished.

4. Tell them you are Breeze’s seventh cousin. By the time they figure it out you will be long gone.
5. Offer them the book you are reading. They will read it first then eat it, giving you time to run away.
6. Admire their clothes. They are highly fashionable and will rush to the nearest mirror to try and see what they put on that is so stunning.
7. Bring a politician you don’t like with you, they can munch on them instead of you.

Star the Duck who was allergic

Breeze loved watching ducks and geese down by the pond because though he loved swimming his splashes tended to empty the pond.

One afternoon he spotted a visitor who arrived to the pond. The tall thin duck sat close to the bank and would occasionally dip his beak into the water, take a drink before resuming his chat to the occupants of the pond.

Over the next few days he noticed the same duck was always sitting when he arrived and never swam in the pond.

He decided this was a mystery begging to be solved. Before he got a chance to approach the newcomer and ask if all was well. The duck got to his feet and waddled away.

That was when Breeze made a startling discovery, the duck was wearing a very

snazzy pair

of boots!