A Grand Adventure

Once upon a time there were three little elves who lived deep in the Elvin Forest. They liked to think they were adventurous little elves, always up for a challenge. On this occasion, while Hershey and Lint were folding up their washing, Cadbury told them about a scroll she had found up in their chocolate box attic. (Yes, chocolate box homes in the forest actually do have attics!)

Cadbury: Look, see here, it says their is a haunted house nearby.

Hershey: I wonder if that is the big Manor House up on the hill?

Lindt: Oh don't be so silly, if it was the Manor House, we would have heard about it being haunted before now.

Cadbury: Well let's go to the Manor House and see for ourselves if it's haunted?

Hershey: Oh I'm not sure I want to. I love an adventure, but I don't know whether I would enjoy haunted things.

Lindt: Don't be such a scaredy cat. It will be fun to go on a grand adventure.

Cadbury: Well here we are, but this old house doesn't look very scarey at all. In fact I think it's quite a pretty house.

Lindt: Of course not, houses don't look scarey, they just are. I wonder how we can get inside, that door is very tall and heavy. Besides, we're so short I don't think we could even reach the handle to open it.

Hershey: Mmm I guess you're right. Let's look around the back, there maybe a way to get in there.

Lindt: Come here quick, I found an entrance! We just need to clamber through this ivy and we can get in through the vent.

Sometime later, after making their way through the ivy and squeezing through the tiny vent, they came upon an opening to a tunnel. It was very, very dark and there was quite a narrow pathway. They hesitated, just for a moment, all three were thinking to themselves, "should we really venture down this long, dark tunnel?"

They eventually did, but the tunnel was much longer than they had anticipated and the narrow pathway had turned into a tiny ledge. The ledge was so narrow now, they had to turn sideways and hold onto the wall to progress further.

This itself was scarey, but the fearless trio continued on. Until . . .  Lindt suddenly screamed!!

Hershey: What did you do that for, you made me just about jump out of my skin!

Lindt: There's something cold and boney here, it feels yucky. Ooo ah, it's slimey and not very nice at all.

Cadbury: What are you on about, let me see. Oh you are so silly Lindt, it's only an old skeleton.

Hershy and Lindt: An old skeleton? That's it, we're outta here!!

Cadbury: So much for being brave and having a grand adventure!

They never did find out if the Manor House on the hill was haunted, discovering the skeleton was adventourous enough for these three little elves.

Hope you are all having a grand weekend adventure of your own!

Bear Tales from a Baby Panda

I wrote this back in March 2011 on one of my old blogs, and I thought it might bring a little happiness to my current readers, so I am publishing it here, after all, who doesn't like bears???

-oOo-

Hello there, I want to tell you a little story about a friend of mine. He's quite different to me, he looks white and lives in an extremely cold climate.

My friend is a polar bear and he is so furry and cute . . . well, at least he was cute when he was little.

When he was very small he loved to climb and run around in the snow, but he had the most dreadful fear of water.



Now for a polar bear this was very distressing and what's more, it was so embarrassing. He tried so hard to push his fear aside, but every time he went into the water he would shiver and shake all over.



Time and again, his mummy would go with him in the the water to try and help him overcome this fear, but it didn't matter what she tried to do, nothing helped build his confidence.

His fear was so great, all she could do was hold him in her arms to stop him shaking every time they returned from a swim.

Then one day when he had grown into a big BIG bear he said to himself "I can do this, I must do this" and he pushed all those terrible haunting fears aside and jumped straight into the icy water.

However, it had been so long since he had taken a swim with his mummy, he couldn't remember how to swim! He yelled for help, but no-one heard him, he yelled even louder, but no-one came.

In the end he managed to climb up on and passing iceberg, albeit a very tiny one . . . and there he waited clinging on for dear life until his mummy rescued him once more.

Funnily enough, by taking this dip all on his own he soon realised that the water really wasn't so scary as he had first thought and with a few more lessons from his mummy he was back in the water in no time at all.

They were both so happy and overjoyed at the outcome that they danced.

The End

Click HERE if you would like to read more about The World of the Polar Bear. It's a beautiful book full of stunning photos by Norbert Rosing, and one I'm sure you will enjoy.

Do Blondes Really Have More Fun?

Two of my Tuscan Tots received new clothes this week, from the lovely Jacqueline at Poinsettia04. As a sewer myself, I was very impressed with the quality of her garments and pleased to see she uses press studs instead of that awful Velcro. It has a terrible habit of catching on the wigs and I cannot abide it!

Of course it wasn't long before they had them on and were out to play.

Claudia: Let's have some fun with these.
I'll just hop in the bin and you can push me down the hill.

Sophia: I think it might be safer if we use the shopping trolley.
Woops! Over she went!!

Sophia: Are you okay, you didn't hurt yourself did you?

Ah, there's a little scratch on your cheek.

Claudia: Nothing's broken though.

Sophia: Here, I'd better and give you a hug, just in case.

All Steamed Up

It was a lovely sunny day in the Elvin Forest, the wind was still and bunnies hopped about, chasing each other as if they were playing a game.

Gaea was doing her rounds making sure all was as it should be, when she came upon Nomios accompanied by two green dragons. Green dragons are the friendly ones, they have a very gentle nature and they try extremely hard not to set fire to things. 

Gaea: Good morning Nomios, what a fine pair of dragons you have there. Where are you off too this fine day?

Nomios: I'm taking the dragons for a walk in the forest, they need to let off a bit of steam.

Gaea: Let off steam? Has something or someone upset them?

Nomios: No, they ate far too much over Christmas and if they don't get rid of the belching steam . . . well you know what happens then.

Gaea: Indeed I do. I see the elder has converted her scales, they are so shiny, almost iridescent.

Nomios: Yes, she certainly has become a very fine dragon, but she will need to watch what she eats or she may have a problem on her hands.

Gaea smiled to herself, but it wasn't a laughing matter. She knew that if dragons ate too much, they suffered badly from a build up of steam and that was not a good thing for anyone livng in the Elvin Forest.

A few minutes later they were joined by Wi and Pi.

Pi: I like your little dragon Nomios, does he have a name?

Wi laughed and said: Don't be silly Pi, dragons don't have names.

Nomios: Ah but they do Wi. This is Little Dragon and his sister Emeralda.

Wi: Emeralda is really pretty, her scales are so shiny, look how they glisten in the sunshine.

Nomios: Yes, and when Little Dragon reaches her age, his scales will become shiny too and then he will be given a new name.

While they chatted, Gaea quietly slipped away unheard and unseen.

As the two little fairies listened intently to Nomios tell the tale of how dragons change scales, Hera and Pegasus stopped by. They were on their way to visit Sybil Von Raven at the old granite crypt.

Hera: Good morning Nomios. Hello Wi, hello Pi.

Pi: Oh hello Hera, I'm playing with Little Dragon.

Pegasus: Be careful Pi, his steam is building and you know what happens when dragons become fully steamed up, don't you?

Pi and Wi said in unison: No, what happens?

Hera: They breath red hot fire and anyone close to them gets scorched! I tell you, you won't want to be around if that happens.

The moral to the story ~ Don't tempt fate, you may get your fingers burned. :)

Truffles and Little Dragon

Today I gave Truffles a new wig to wear, it's a very pretty Monique Gold wig with a combination of two different coloured fine fibres which look very much like real hair. After we trimmed her fringe, I sent her off to play in the Elvin Forest. It wasn't long before she came running back all excited.

Truffles: Mummy, mummy, look what I found in the forest today.

Me: What did you find dear?

Truffles: Come here and look . . . he followed me home. Can I keep him, can I, can I?

Me: Oh my! I don't think that's a very good idea Truffles, he's a baby dragon and his mummy will soon be looking for him.

Truffles: But he told me he doesn't have a mummy. He's called Little Dragon and he is all alone without a friend in all of the Elvin Forest.

Me: He maybe called Little Dragon, but he will be a very large Little Dragon before long and however are we going to feed him? Dragons eat people.

Truffles: But mummy, he doesn't eat much at all, he's vegetarian and only eats leaves. He's very friendly, see how he loves to play.

 Me: Well he can stay for now, but you'll have to play outside, just to be on the safe side. We don't want him to set fire to anything, do we?

Truffles: Oh dear no. Did you hear that Little Dragon, you can stay for now, which means mummy will let you stay here for always. Shall we play with your crystal ball?

Little Dragon: No this is my crystal ball and it's not for playing with, it's very special.

Truffles: Now Little Dragon don't be like that. I'll tell you a secret, if you'll share your crystal ball with me.

Little Dragon: Okay then, you can hold it for a little while, be gentle with it and whatever you do, DON'T rub it.

Truffles: Why can't I rub it?

Little Dragon: You'll see things within the ball that will give you nightmares. Terrible, frightening things, that are suitable to be seen by dragons alone.

Truffles: Oh, I wouldn't want to see things like that Little Dragon. I promise you faithfully, I will not rub it. Thank you for sharing Little Dragon.