A Cat in the Woods

Good day to all! 

Two very lovely people have been thinking of Riverside and the Periwinkles lately, namely Sarah from Magic Mayhem and Birgit from BiWuBären on the Blog. Birgit sent us a friendly email and Sarah sent us this gorgeous handmade card! It immediately inspired me...

Yesterday I noticed a new face in Riverside, while I was walking through the woods. It was a cute, white and fluffy cat wearing a purple dress and carrying a pink purse. 

I soon realized that she wasn't alone. A kitten in a pink dress soon came tagging along next to her. 

"Where is our new house, Mom?" the kitten asked.

"It's right over the hill," the mother answered. 

"I wonder what's taking Dad?" 

"I am sure he's just playing with Buddy and they'll soon catch up."

Mrs Peony Prickle was wrong. Her husband was hiding between the trees, waiting for the right moment to jump out and startle his wife, as well as his daughter Berry.

Little Buddy seemed to be hiding too, but actually he was just looking at the many colourful flowers.

Up above their heads two extremely fat birds were chirping happily.

Buddy hurried up to his mother with a paw full of flowers and said, "Look Mom! I found something to decorate our new living room, so it won't look so bare!" 

"That is very thoughtful of you, Buddy!"

Meanwhile, Pierce had decided he'd rather not startle his family after all, even though every single member of the Prickle family was a tough cookie that could easily take a little scare. But they had endured way more than a little hardship lately, so he decided to think of a better prank, something with more humour and less fright.

"Hey, Dad! There you are," Berry exclaimed and Mr Prickle planted a kiss on his daughter's forehead.

Berry jumped on top of a tree trunk that had fallen over and pretended to be a circus performer.

 "I'm walking the tightrope, Dad, and there's not even a net down below! 
Look at meeee!!" 

 "Mom," Buddy questioned his mother, "do you think our new house is ever going to feel and look as nice as our house back home did? Are we ever going to say: "There is no place like home", while thinking of our new place and not of the old one?" 

"Probably, Bud," Peony pondered, "just know that it will take some time. But I am pretty sure, we are going to like this place just as much, or maybe even more."

"Maybe even more?" Bud marveled, "That sure sounds great, Mom..."

All of a sudden, two well known Riversiders appeared in the clearing. It was James Periwinkle and his daughter Jemima!

"Ooooh, Daddy! It's da kitty family. Dey ah sooo fluffy!"

James and Pierce said hello and immediately started a conversation about the hot weather and gardening in summertime. 

And the rest of the Prickle family stared at little Pickles who had appeared almost out of nowhere. They had never seen a baby dragon before. "Is it an iguana?" Bud wondered. "I dunno..." Berry said, "do those have wings?? It looks more like an alligator to me."

Jemima and Pickles' buddy Fudge were a few feet away listening and giggling quietly. What a nice day to go for a walk with daddy. What a great day to meet some new friends. And what a perfect day to share toffees with Fudge. 

HOW I HAVE MISSED YOU ALL! 

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK AND A GREAT SUMMER.

SEE YOU SOON.

P.S.: Why are these cute, fuzzy kitties called the Prickles?? 

Well, when I took them out of the packaging yesterday, I was astounded at how scratchy they feel. They do not feel soft to the touch at all, more like a blunt cactus. ;)