Monday 18 November 2013

Golden leaves and friendship!

Hortensia was walking through along the forest floor with Baby Harriet all snuggled in her basket on her back. 'You see Harriet, sometimes the leaves look even more beautiful on a grey and misty morning, see how our path is all golden and luminous ahead of us and smells so good!'  Harriet was gazing around intently, they were supposed to be looking for mushrooms, but the light of the golden leaves against the darker greens and trunks of the trees was so beautiful that Hortensia had decided to stop and and just gaze about for while.

Harriet wasn't really talking yet, at least she thought that she was, but no one could quite work out what she was saying, 'Brrrr bub, bub, booooo', she pointed at a little clump of mushrooms . 'Oh Harriet you are clever, just what we are looking for!' Hortensia carefully collected a few of the mushrooms in her basket and they set off on their way again. Two tiny gnomes - well, one grown up and a really tiny baby gnome, walking along in their forest home, rejoicing as they went in the glorious radiance of an autumn morning.

They were on their way to see Mrs Partridge, 'I want to ask her if she would like anything in particular for our Winter Festival, and truth to tell Harriet, we are all a bit relieved that she is spending Christmas with her son, it will be too cold to eat outside and the rules of hospitality demand that we entertain her next time!'

Since Mrs Partridge's tea party, the friendship between the gnomes and Mrs Partridge had deepened. 'We always liked you and knew you through your garden, it's just that some of the others where a bit shy, and now they know for sure now that you are our friend!' Aunt Mildred had confided to Mrs Partridge.

For her part Mrs Partridge couldn't remember a time when she had felt more happy or excited. She didn't mind what the neighbours thought, she was having a wonderful time sharing her garden, and truth to tell, a lot of her life with her new friends. When Hortensia and baby Harriet had arrived and were settled on a flower pot next to her bench, Mrs Partridge couldn't wait to share her news. 'That foot ointment of Aunt Mildred's, my Dear, quite miraculous, my hands haven't felt so good for ages, and my feet aren't nearly so sore!'

Just at that moment Uncle Humperdinck bobbed up amongst the winter pansies where he had been doing a spot of weeding, 'It's what has kept me going the past fifty years! I'd have been in my rocking chair years ago without her foot balm!' He winked at Mrs partridge 'she'll never tell you whats in it, but as long as it does the job and keeps me bringing home the chestnuts - that's all that matters! Mind you, best not to let her know I polish my boots with it too sometimes, keeps the ants away you know!' Hortensia and Mrs Partridge burst out laughing as Aunt Mildred's very fierce 'Humperdinck!' echoed around the garden, 'just joking my Dear!' Laughed Uncle Humperdinck as he hid behind the clematis.

So that was how it was, most days the gnomes came by for a chat and to see how Mrs Partridge and her garden were doing. Altogether a most unusual friendship  - but a truly precious one for everyone concerned!