The truth was out.....

Hector was hanging up his socks on some handy twigs, 'a gentle drizzle the best rinse there is, makes for softer socks don't you see?' he proudly announce to a very out of breath Archibold. Archibold had to agree, soft socks meant less aggravation of tender toes, and that had to be a good thing. 'What's up Archie, you look all of a bother, fancy a cup of tea?

Archibold knew that however bothered he felt, everything would seem better after a cup of tea, so he sat down next to the little fire and watched as Hector boiled the kettle, made a pot of tea in his best red teapot and toasted two thick slices of toast. 'Fancy a bit of jam or honey?' Archibold nodded, how was he going to tell his friend that he was going to dessert him and return home?

The gnomes were hidden from sight behind some large rhododendron bushes in the park, they had taken to getting up at first light to make sure that their fire wouldn't attract attention. 'The thing is, Hector, I just can't bear all this rushing about and having to be so careful to hide all the time, and I miss Hortensia and Harriet more every day!' Well there it was the truth was out and Archibold sat waiting for his friend to reply.

'It's true' said Hector after a while, 'even with our merge and flow skills it can be a strain to keep out of sight, plus you are not used to this way of living, you have, after all lived in the Forest most of your working life. Archibold nodded, slowly a large tear began to trickle down his cheek, 'I am so sorry to let you down Hector - but I want to go home  - now.' Hector looked at his poor woebegone friend, ' it's all right Archie, off you go, all will be well here, there is plenty of us to finish all the planting and you have done more than your share of the work.'

Archibold perked up at this, he knew that he had been working hard, the truth was that the harder he worked the less likely it was that he had time to miss his home! 'Off you go now, I'll tell the others, best be on your way before the sun is up, good luck and I'll see you soon!' The two gnomes hugged and Archibold rushed to stuff all of his clothes and belongings in a terrible muddle into his rucksack and barely rolled his hammock as he slung it by his side. 'Best not forget some provisions!' Hector handed Archibold some biscuits and cheese and some wrinkled crab apples, 'give my love to everyone at home.'

Archibold smiled his most happy of smiles and was gone!

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!

Setting up camp and preparing for the storm......

'Well, well, well, not quite what we expected, but comfy all the same'. Archibold was investigating the possibilities for setting up camp in the branches of the old oak tree. 'Stephanotis and I will take charge of tying up the hammocks - mind you, I can definitely feel rain is on it's way - so, best to be prepared, who's up for organising the canopy?' Isabel jumped up and down with excitement, swinging around in the leaves fixing a tarpaulin (a suitable plastic bag that the gnomes had found abandoned nearby) was her idea of a dream job! 'Come on Hector and Isolde - lets go!'

Soon the gnomes had the perfect camp set up. A lovely, pink and white striped  - and soundly waterproof roof - was securely tied to the branches and overhung their neatly tied on hammocks. Provisions were hanging up inside their rucksacks and blankets were airing on some nearby branches. Archibold wondered if some of the humans realised that the unsightly plastic bag, stuck high up in the tree hid a gnome camp, but decided it was best not to think about it.

Hector was holding his head up and sniffing the air, 'don't know about rain - feels like a storm and windy at that, may have to abandon hammocks if it really blows, up here we will be in for a real roarer!'
The other gnomes glanced at the turning leaves and had to agree. Soon they were dashing about lashing down their belongings and putting on their waterproof capes and hats. 'Oh what fun, we can sing all night'. Isabel was grinning from ear to ear at the prospect, for as all gnomes know - singing, whilst sitting out a storm high up in a mighty tree, was one of the great joys of being a gnome.'

'Best have something to eat before it arrives', Hector was passing out large chunks of cheese with Hortensia's best oak cakes and extra large slices of honey cake. Isabel handed everyone a crab apple for later and emergency supplies of mint humbugs. However cold a gnome could get (which was sometimes very, very cold indeed) a mint humbug could be relied upon to cheer up even the most morose of gnomes and to bring a wiggle back into frozen toes.

'I'm off for a short kip whilst I can, might be an idea for some of you to have a snooze too'. Though Hector was being his usual bossy self, the others knew he was right. Soon, as the branches began to gently sway and a tapping of rain drops began to sweeten the air, the gnomes snuggled down for a pre-storm nap.