Sunlight and excitement, green moss and daisies…..Coronation Day at last!

'What a day! No question abut it, Spring is in the air - I can smell it!' Archibold straightened his best waistcoat and held his face up to the sunlight,' couldn't have asked for better day for a coronation!'

Hortensia smiled with happiness, 'always a good omen for the year ahead - a sunny coronation day!'

Hortensia and Archibold were very busy sweeping and clearing and helping Stephanotis and his gang  hang the garlands of daisy chains and set up the tables. They were preparing their most precious place in the forest, The Sacred Circle, where they had held all of their meetings and ceremonies for as long as anyone could remember.

'Aunt Mildred has invited everyone she could think of, what will we do if we need extra seating!' Hortensia wasn't exactly in a panic but was certainly feeling flustered. 'Perhaps we can place some mushrooms around the edge for late arrivals and extra guests?' Hortensia smiled her special smile that made Archibold blush, 'Oooh Archie you are wonderful, you always come up with the perfect solution'. Archibold coughed with embarrassment and continued sweeping up the pine needles and dried leaves very vigorously.

The sacred circle was in a clearing in-between five ancient pine trees with lovely soft hummocks of brilliant green moss for everyone to sit on. Where the sunlight shone through the branches, the golden light lit up the air and touched the moss with warmth. ' Doesn't the throne look lovely My Dear? Stephanotis and his helpers were carefully placing the throne in the extact spot where the mid day sun would alight . 'Hortensia was very proud, she had made a beautiful and very soft red velvet cushion for Archimedes to sit on, ' He is very arthriticky now, Aunt Mildred says we need to look after him and his bones and make sure he is comfortable!'

Soon, in fact just as everything was ready, Lupin arrived so out of breath and so excited that he could barely get his words out 'Ducks sighted flying overhead, he is on his way, he is COMING!' That was the signal they were all were waiting for, 'Off with your aprons, tidy your hair, keep your hats straight!' Hortensia and Archibold, Stephanotis and all his helpers began to line up to prepare to welcome their guests.

Meanwhile, downstream Archimedes who was happily oblivious to all the excitement, was rowing along accompanied by a flotilla of very noisy ducks. 'Deafening that's what you are, calm down! I am sure you will be able to come to the ceremony, I can manage on my own no need to push the boat!' Eventually the bank was in sight and as the ducks swam ahead to become a guard of honour. Archimedes saw the archway covered in daises and his dear friends Humperdinck and Mildred waiting for him on the jetty, 'Oh My, must keep calm, what a day, Dear oh Dear'.

Soon the little boat was all tied up and Archimedes was being helped up onto the bank and into The Cart of Honour. 'Were coming with you so you won't be on your own,' Aunt Mildred and Uncle Humperdinck climbed in too and settled into the comfortable seats either side of Archimedes. 'Off we go, here's to a wonderful day!' and with that, the ceremonial party set off at a slow roll through crowds of excited well-wishers, all singing and tossing their hats with joy!

An important announcement and camomile tea …..

Aunt Mildred was feeling more than a little bit pleased with herself as she prepared to make her important announcement, 'I think My Dear Archimedes, that it might have slipped your mind that yesterday was the Spring Meeting of The Council of Elders?'

Archimedes huffed and then looked crestfallen. He felt a conflict of emotions in his chest, thrilled that he had missed the meeting, as he found the effort of going to meetings such an effort, and then, as he started explaining to Aunt Mildred, 'I've never forgotten about a meeting so well that I have missed sending my apologies!' Gnomes don't like to be rude, and not sending your apologies before not attending a meeting was considered exceedingly rude by any gnomes standards.

Aunt Mildred wasn't having any of it, 'Just as well you didn't come, terrible weather for a crossing anyway, far to blustery for you to row across, besides, we came to a decision much more easily without you present!'

Now Archimedes looked seriously alarmed, 'The Council has decided that since the first daisies have been sighted in full bloom on Mrs Partridge's lawn, that the time has come to elect this year's King of The Daises and Gnome in Chief  - and Archimedes can you guess, we have chosen YOU!'

It was a very good thing for Archimedes that he was sitting down, at first all he could say was a sort of snuffly mumble of 'well, really, toss my hat I will, fancy that, oh Dear!' Then, much to both of their astonishment, he found himself blushing!

Aunt Mildred stood up, ignoring Herbert who was looking for too interested in what what wasn't his business in her opinion. 'So, Archimedes Bonaparte, I hereby invite you to attend The Grand Ceremony of The Order of The Daisy next Thursday at one o'clock on the Lawn.' And with that she presented Archimedes with a beautiful ceremonial hat, apple green velvet with embroidered daises all along the rim with a golden tassel hanging from it's peak. 'I made it myself for Humperdinck's coronation more years ago than I care to remember (gnomes live a very long time, so as you can imagine, it is sometimes very hard to remember an exact year out of so many).

Archimedes sat in his chair feeling bewildered and pleased and all confused, 'Well I never, such a surprise Mildred'. Aunt Mildred smiled, 'I think perhaps My Dear, it is time for a new pot of tea?' Archimedes smiled with relief, having something useful to do would help clear his mind, 'I'll just put the kettle on, perhaps golden camomile with a touch of honey might be appropriate?'

So soon they found themselves sitting by the little stove in the front room of Archimedes tree house, enjoying the warmth of a lovely pot of tea and smiling huge smiles of contentment as they happily listened to the rustle of leaves and the chirping of the birds all around.