Story: Graphite Glade
Pip opens her eyes. “Another beautiful morning,” she whispers while looking out the hollow of her tree in the Watercolor Woods.
“Good morning, Pip.” Greets Mia from a nearby branch.
Pip the deer mouse and her closest friend Mia the blue jay eagerly look forward to a new adventure.
“Good morning, Mia,” Pip replies. “I had the most wonderful dream.”
Mia tilts her head in curiosity, “Oh, do tell me!”
Pip, standing on her hind legs with whiskers twitching, shares, “In my dream, we built a community garden! Everyone gathered to help grow fruit, vegetables, herbs, and flowers.”
“I love it!” Mia’s eyes sparkle. “It’s a wonderful idea. We can go scouting for the perfect spot.”
“Let’s go!” Pip eagerly scurries off, and Mia follows.
“We have searched all morning, Pip.” Mia chirps, “Nothing seems suitable for a garden.”
“Look, Mia!” Pip exclaims. “There it is!” Graphite Glade is perfect. The ground is rich and loose for digging. And look there! Canvas Creek runs alongside the glade for watering the plants.”
Mia nods flapping her wings, “Yes! It is the perfect spot for a community garden.”
“We should invite our friends to help build it,” Pip suggests. “Everyone who wants to help can meet here tomorrow morning.”
Henry, the groundhog
Pip and Mia share the news with all their friends in the Watercolor Woods and invite them to help.
After a good night’s sleep, Mia hops down to Pip’s hollow entrance, “Good morning, Pip. Are you ready to build the garden?”
“Let’s go!” Pip darts out of her hollow and down the tree.
With the glade in sight, Pip squeals, “Look, Mia! Everyone is here.”
Henry, the groundhog hurries over to them, “Pip. Mia. A community garden is a marvelous idea!”
“Imagine what we can grow!” Giggles Moonbeam the skunk, rolling around in the clover.
They begin to plan out the garden together, making sure to include everyone’s favorites.
“First, we need to till the soil and create rows for planting.” Pip reads from their plans.
“Oh!” Henry stands upright on his hind legs, “My teeth and claws are made for digging! I can do that!”
“I can find seeds and bulbs to plant,” offers Jasper the opossum.
Juniper, the chipmunk
Rosemary the rabbit and Juniper the chipmunk add, “We can dig the holes to plant the seeds and bulbs.”
Boone the raccoon and Earl the squirrel holler out, “We can place the seeds and bulbs in the holes and cover them with dirt.”
Pip and Mia share a happy glance, “This is really happening!”
Oliver the bullfrog volunteers, “The twin turtles Josie and Walter can help me bring water from the creek to water the seeds and bulbs.”
“Let’s get started!” Pip encourages.
As the day goes on, the glade begins to look like a garden. By sunset, the glade is completely transformed.
“We did it!” Mia exclaims, flapping her wings.
Pip looks around at the happy faces, “Soon we will have all the fruit, vegetables, herbs, and flowers we can eat.”
Everyone heads home with a plan to take turns tending the garden.
“I’m glad we did this,” Pip expresses.
Jasper, the opossum
“Me too,” Mia agrees. “I can’t wait till harvest time.”
On the way home, Mia stops and looks at Pip with a gleam in her eyes, “Pip, I have an idea!”
“What is it, Mia?”
“We should have a Harvest Festival this fall. We can have food grown from the garden, and games!”
The two chatter all the way home about a festival.
As Pip and Mia nestle down for the night, they fall fast asleep. Each, dreaming of the days ahead with adventures in the Garden.
