Story: The Campout
Mia, the deer mouse
“Mia, wake up!” Pip scurries out of her hollow, “I have a wonderful idea!”
Mia opens her sleepy eyes, “Good morning, Pip. What’s up?”
Pip, the deer mouse, lives in the hollow of a cypress tree within the Watercolor Woods. Mia, the blue jay, roosts nearby. Pip and her closest friend, Mia, enjoy spending their days exploring the Woods and sharing adventures with their friends.
Mia, the blue jay
“Let’s invite all our friends for a campout tonight.” Pip squeals, overjoyed at the thought of camping under the stars.
Mia smiles, “That sounds perfect! Let’s start inviting them.”
Pip decides, “I will invite Earl the squirrel, Hixie the screech owl, Oliver the bullfrog, Moonbeam the skunk, and Rosemary the rabbit.”
Mia thinks for a minute, “Let’s see. That leaves me with inviting Jasper the opossum, Boone the raccoon, Walter and Josie the twin turtles, Juniper the chipmunk, and Henry the groundhog.”
Jasper, the opossum
Pip and Mia set off into the woods, visiting friends and inviting them to the campout.
“Hello.” Greets Pip and Mia as each of their friends arrive. “Let’s gather around the campfire. Would you like some roasted acorns?”
“Let’s start with a story.” Mia flaps her wings in excitement. “Who would like to start?”
Earl stands up twitching his fluffy tail, “I have a story about the time I found a hidden stash of fruit and nuts deep in the woods.”
Earl, the squirrel
“Tell us, Earl. This should be good!” Mia chirps.
As Earl finishes his tale Oliver gasps, “What an incredible story, Earl!”
Moonbeam giggles at Oliver's reaction to the story, “Mmm…mmmm! I love the aroma of roasting acorns on the campfire. It’s a perfect night for a campout too! Look at that beautiful sky!”
Jasper rolls over on his back and rubs his belly with a belch. “Boy, am I full! It is a gorgeous night. Look at those stars twinkling, and how bright the moon is tonight.”
“Did you know,” Hixie hoots, “that each star has its own story?”
Hixie, the screech owl
Pip’s eyes widen with curiosity, “Really? That’s fascinating.”
Mia nods in agreement, “And, the moon has different phases just like our seasons.”
“This is peaceful.” Oliver croaks lying on his back star gazing.
“Let’s turn in for the night,” Pip yawns.
“I am getting sleepy too,” Mia agrees stretching her wings from a comfy branch above.
Oliver, the bullfrog
One by one, they each fell asleep watching the crackling of the campfire.
As the sun begins to rise, Pip whispers, “Mia, it’s dawn.”
“Good morning, Pip,” Mia answers softly. “Let’s make breakfast. The aroma will awaken the others.”
Scampering to the campfire, Pip notices a surprise. “Mia, look!”
“It’s a patch of wildflowers.” Mia smiles. “Why don’t you gather wildflowers to share with our friends, and I will start breakfast?”
Pip gathers the flowers. Standing on her hind feet, she sniffs the air, “Breakfast smells wonderful. It must be ready.”
Rosemary smells the wildflowers, “The flowers are a nice touch with breakfast. Thank you!”
Rosemary, the rabbit
Pip and Mia gather their friends for breakfast, and share the day's plans, “What do you think about exploring the trail to Brushstroke Falls?”
Glancing at each other, the group nods in agreement. “Sounds like fun. Yes. Yes. Let’s go!”
Putting out the fire, they head down the trail.
“I love this trail!” Earl shares. “There is so much to see and explore.”
“I do love how peaceful it is.” Pip closes her eyes listening to the woodland sounds.
Jasper breaks their silence and hollers, “There it is! The waterfalls. Look at how the sun reflects off the water flowing over the rocks.”
Moonbeam, the skunk
Moonbeam smiles, “It’s creating dancing rainbows.”
Mia sits and watches, “It is a beautiful sight to see.”
Pip nods and runs towards the water, “Let’s swim!”
Pip, Mia, and their friends enjoy the rest of the morning playing and swimming in the water. Soon, the campout came to a close. They could be heard on the trail, laughing and talking about the night’s adventure, as they each returned home in the Watercolor Woods.
Henry, the groundhog
Boone, the raccoon
