A Dream of Warm Scones and Home!

Archibold was 'busy', seriously busy to be precise, though not necessarily in the way that you or I might understand being busy to be - for Archibold was playing 'chase the leaves'  with a rather large and very friendly dog. " So many leaves and so little time to enjoy them," Archibold waggled his bottom at the dog and then swiftly raced out of reach up a tree as the dog bounced and barked below.

" Perhaps he is getting bit tired, better lead him back to his owner I suppose," Archibold sighed and darting ahead, led the panting dog back onto the forest path " there you are now, go find your owner, we can play again tomorrow," and with that he patted the dog and sent him on his way.

If we are honest about it, I don't think Archibold really thought playing with dogs was serious work, but all gnomes have a soft spot for dogs. In their hearts they know that dogs have a very hard job indeed, as Hortensia frequently remarked, " where would humans be without their dogs - lost and lonely that's what!" So cheering up an overworked dog with a lot of responsibilities, was universally known as a very good deed indeed!

" What a to do," thought Hortensia, "Autumn is such a beautiful season but there is always so much to do." Of course she was thinking about preparing their home for the winter. Both she and Archibold liked to be snug and warm and have lots and lots of useful supplies, like extra fruitcake and crabapple rings and of course firewood and wooly socks and most importantly, not forgetting the extra specially fluffy blankets for baby Harriet's basket.

"Not long now till Harvest Supper, best be out and about and gathering!" Archibold set off at a trot to meet his friend and apprentice Stephanotis. They were planning a harvesting trip and a visit to the Oldest Gnome that anyone had ever heard of, Archimedes Bonaparte. Archimedes lived on an island in the river and was known for his disgusting herbal tea and his wise and useful advice.

Archibold was carrying a basket of fresh scones and a pot of Hortensia's best cherry jam as a present. Smelling the warm scones was almost too much to bear thinking about, so carefully hiding the basket under his seat of the boat, he rolled up his sleeves and taking up his oar, he and Stephanotis set off on their adventure.

"Try not to be too long," called Hortensia " there is so much to do and I don't want to start making the pies without you."

" Pie, lovely warm mushroom pie with cheesy mash and onion gravy, mmmmm" Archibold woke up with a start, " Home, I want to go home!" Suddenly missing the Forest and his family seemed too much to bear, " I'll talk to Hector right now, perhaps I can leave this morning. " Archibold leapt out of his hammock, pulled on his trousers and set off to find Hector in such a rush he forgot to even brush his teeth!