Eleanora was walking in the moonlight, she loved the feel of the cold as it settled on the trees and earth. Below her feet she knew that animals were safely sleeping in the warmth of their burrows and dens, so the beauty of the frost - glinting white and sparkling as it settled on the firs and the rocks - seemed like a dream. 'No matter how many times I see this' she thought 'I will never forget what a gift it is to live here and to see such beauty.'
She was walking to the edge of the river, to her favourite place by a pool of still water. She folded a shawl on a rock to cushion her from the cold and sat still in the silence of the moonlight, staring up at the stars. Carefully she held the blue stone up to the light, it was her way of feeling what baby Harriet was up to and to send her love and guidance. 'To be so brave so young - take care, life is long and your time now is to grow and enjoy your time as a child, so much for you yet to learn when you are ready'. She turned the stone in the light and back in her cot in Persimmon Heights, baby Harriet smiled in her sleep.
Eleanora was very proud of Harriet's courage, she was also aware of the worry that she would have picked up from her parents and family to encourage her to take such an extreme course of action. To voluntary chose to befriend a human at such a young age was a sign of her wisdom and also of her lack of experience. 'I must go to visit soon' she thought 'time to stock up on Aunt Mildred's foot balm and Hortensia's wild strawberry jam'. For all of her wisdom, great learning and kindness, Eleanora was still a gnome, and all gnomes have a longing for comfortable feet and tasty treats.
Walking home she felt excited by the prospect of an escapade to the south, to visit her great friends - the Gnomes of the Forest and most especially of all - to spend time with her special friend Archimedes. Much as she loved the wild beauty of her home, a winter visit was a wonderful opportunity to catch up with news and relish the warmth of old friendships as they all prepared to face the changes ahead.
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