ButtonWillowCottage

Late Summer Moods

These late summer days are still taken advantage of amongst the Small Dwellers.   Lazy strolls and light harvesting are the norm.

Mrs. Rabbit's Sister likes to take advantage of the warm air and soft breezes to get at least some of her brood out of the house for a bit, in particular her youngest son.  He can be a rambunctious and itchy little bunny.  She knows that all too soon he wont be quite so jolly when he's confined in their teensy burrow with his eight older sisters and four older brothers doing his schoolwork.  His only younger sister here is easy prey for most of his moody shenanigans, poor thing... But, the fresh air seems to bring out the best in him, so all is lovely for now.

...personally, we think it best that their Mother dry these posies so that his little sister can recall his kindness on one of those days when he's not so cheery and decides to dunk her cottontail into the nearest glue pot.

ahhh...newlyweds

Oh dear! I've been extremely remiss in telling you that these two love birds...er...mice, are to be celebrating their first anniversary very shortly.  Isn't it endearing how romantic they still remain?  The Small Dweller gossip mill tells me that he will be bringing her a hand-picked bouquet of cornflowers (her favorite blue)...

If you missed the ever-so-sweet story of their courtship, do catch up with the lovetale starting here which then progressed to this, which culminated in this!

Among The Blossoms

I think if I could spend the afternoon sitting amongst the cherry blossoms, my tail would get all in a knot from excitement also!

Wouldn't you agree?

Octuplet Bathtime

And yet, somehow, it didn't make the ButtonWillow evening news.

Holed Up For Winter

And you probably foolishly thought that they slept all winter...

If You Need Him

Although most of you probably have fires burning in your cleaned hearths already...

If you need him, he's out there.

...dear old Mr. Mole.

Most Definitely NOT The Pond!

Frogs!!

Well, don't say I didn't warn you!

If it's not the kitties, then it's most surely the froggies that keep us on our toes here at ButtonWillow. Always one fancy or another, blowing whichever way the wind blows....

The last we had heard is that these two were "headed over to a neighboring pond to spend a bit of time with some long lost cousins"...

...next thing you know this tell-all musical postcard lands in our box.

Well, I guess one could never say they aren't happy.

(And goodness me, at least they keep in touch!)

Panic in the Pantry

Oh me oh my, this is what kitties tend to do when they find out that a pantry cleaning is on the schedule--they panic! Worry over whether Mrs. Rabbit will throw out the odd bit of dried-up sausage, scrap of cheese or the last of the elderberry jam or some other such thing...
Those kitties, what is one to do?
Just sort and scrub the larder even more so now, I suppose.
Do have a lovely weekend, wont you? As for us, we'll be in the pantry.

Obviously.

Small Dwelling Rythms

Whilst we in the cottage hunker down to a new season of cottage school work, it is still business as usual in The Small Dwellings. As I've mentioned before they don't follow our calender, and right now is the best time for late season berry picking. Nothing can go to waste when there are the slimmer seasons forthcoming. Small Dwelling school will commence as soon as the bulk of the harvesting is done.

First things first, you see...

Last Hurrah's

Yes, indeed, the frolicking seems to be at an all-time high what with the new year of Cottage Schooling looming on the ever-closer horizon, wouldn't you agree?

A Spring Love Story's Summer Finale

Oh Dear Me! Didn't I tell you? Well, they'll be living happily ever after!

Midnight Kitty Convention

Yes, it is a worry, but they always seem to make it home alright.
(And it does help to explain why they tend to sleep the day away...)

 

A Spring Love Story Continues...

Well, the trip to the tea house and the afternoon stroll seems to have worked some magic... 
Young Bachelor Mouse has been regularly visiting Single Sister Mouse with hand-picked bouquets of wildflowers.  As you can see, Father Mouse is still a wee bit wary.  He  is suspicious of Young Bachelor Mouse's dapper ways.  I must go and speak to him to let him know that Bachelor Mouse is just your "hard-working, good-guy, average joe", but wants to present himself at his particular best right now!  He made a special trip into the shoppes to pick out the bluest overcoat (blue being Sister Mouse's most favorite color, naturally) and the spiffiest chapeau that he could find.  He had some trouble of course, not being much of a clothes horse, but he muddled through persistantly.   Bachelor Mouse wants to cover all bases you see.
I think it rather sweet, don't you?

Spring Love Story

Well...
What do we have here, you ask?
It seems the young men of the Small Dwellings have cajoled Young Bachelor Mouse to go visit Sister Mouse at her "Dainty Teas" Tea House.  (Not his own sister, of course, and please don't ask me how they keep each other straight when they are all named "Mouse" or "Rabbit" or "Mole"--I leave that to them to worry about, they seem to work it out somehow, always knowing one family from the next).  As I was saying... it seems the young men have heard altogether enough of Young Bachelor Mouse going on about his feelings toward the beautiful (and also single) Sister Mouse, and yet doing nothing about it!   They decided to take matters into their own hands and spent the afternoon having tea and lemon biscuits in a most gentlemanly manner so that he could spend more time in her presence and perhaps procure an afternoon stroll with her.  How thoughtful of them, the little schemers.   It all worked out well enough in the end, but I will say that Sister Mouse was quite unprepared for all this masculinity in her tea house!  She hastily changed the afternoon's tea selection to Darjeeling rather than the Vanilla Strawberry Rose.
Oh!  And I hear that the afternoon stroll is set for sometime next week.

Meeting With Approval--Frog's New Boots

"Beatrix claimed that 'all writers for children ought to have a sufficient recognition of what things look like'.  She criticized Kenneth Grahame (author of The Wind in the Willows) for describing 'Toad' as 'combing his hair... A mistake to fly in the face of nature- A frog may wear galoshes; but I don't hold with toads having beards or wigs!' (letter to Mrs. M.E. Wight, 26th June 1942)

Spring Treats

It was a splendid day here at ButtonWillow.  A most agreeable first day of Spring.  The weather was all one could hope for, sunny, mild, just a whisper of a breeze--just enough to send the windchimes to tinkling. 
Those in the small dwellings enjoyed the day in their own ways, naturally.  It is customary amongst them to head out for some special treats on the first day of spring and the small dwelling confectionary did a brisk business.  Mr. Badger had a busy day of selling various lollies, iced creams and spun sugars.  I'll tell you, there will be more than one tummy ache to contend with tomorrow!  Especially, as we can all see, in the Hedgehog household.  Mr. Badger reported to me that this was actually Brother Hedghog's third visit!  But, of course he never left with anything but iced creams and lollies.  After all, hedgehogs eating spun sugar?  Now that would just be silly!

Of Spring Showers and Toadstool Parasols

Well, that's a new way of thinking about it...
I was just having a conversation with Sister Mouse this morning and asking her how those in the small dwellings stay so "chipper" and upbeat despite lingering winter showers.  She told me that although those in the small dwellings adore autumn and winter (those seasons are just so cozy you see) spring always brings an extra little bounce to their steps!  It's looked forward to with great eagerness!  And, once they see even the first teeniest blossoms, whether they be on tree or flower or bush, they no longer consider a shower a "winter" rain.  No--but from the appearance of those first small buds, any rain is considered a "spring shower" and is looked on pleasantly as just a dowsing for more frothy blooms.  Of course toadstool umbrellas help to make things cheery too!  Here's hoping your weekend is filled with puddle jumping and searching for the perfect toadstool parasols!

*for those of you with snow at this time of year--oh dear, I didn't think to ask about that!

Daylight Savings in the Small Dwellings

Bunnies tend to get an early start on the day, as do many of those in the small dwellings.  Yes, yes, of course there are those that are of the nocturnal nature...but for the most part, dawn tends to be filled with hustle and bustle.  Small dwellers tend to want to hunker down whilst we're up and about, so "to do" lists are buttoned up rather early.   But, Mrs. Rabbit tells me that early morning errands have been rather hard these past few days what with this switch to our so-called "daylight savings".  It's a little dark to see whether one should purchase the dandelion greens or the butter lettuces!  So, Mr. Mole (who certainly favors the darkness) has taken to selling his glowworm lamplights so that all could go about there regular business despite the "laziness" of the sunrise.  Remember, although those in the small dwellings keep to themselves and let nature pretty much run the show, they are affected greatly by the things we do.  If we change our clocks, well then everything changes!  As a result of our time change, we're out there tromping around their world much earlier then we normally would be.  Just the noise level itself is enough to send them all scampering inside before the sun breaks  Not to mention the need to hide from the family pets out for their (much earlier!) morning constitutionals.  So for a couple weeks, until things settle into a more natural rhythm, they tend to want to get things done a bit earlier, even if that means running errands in the darkness.  And every spring, ever the industrialist, Mr. Mole capitalizes on this and sells his lamplight wares.  Mrs. Rabbit reports they make lovely night lights for the wee ones after the necessity has run it's course.  And, happily, the glowworms don't seem to mind at all!

That's Not To Say We Don't Like Them...

Ernest Nister:
    "But you must not think we allowed our kittens to behave badly. On the contrary, we tried all we could to teach them good manners..."Well, I told you kittens are mischievous," Nanny said. "And some are more mischievous than others." 

At ButtonWillow we sincerely believe that a garden without a cat just isn't a proper garden at all.  But, there are always some issues with the cats of ButtonWillow and those in the small dwellings.  For cats, you see, live double lives, and those in the small dwellings know this better than us.  First off, there is the continual fear of being eaten--which sadly occurs more often than one cares to think about.  But, to add to that there is the...shall we call it "carousing"?  I hear reports from the small dwelling inhabitants that the cats are quite clamorous and destructive on many an occasion.  Of course they do tend to keep this fairly well hidden whilst humans are about for fear of retribution...but Oh!  Under the cover of darkness, or in the early dawn hours, the small dwelling inhabitants often see them tumbling and stumbling about and just causing a hullaballoo!

And, oh my dear the howling and wailing!  At times (or so Mrs. Rabbit reports) the wee bunnies have to resort to ear plugs just to get through the night.  Bunnies are such skittish things, we all know this, but considering I myself have heard this wailing on more than one occasion, and also considering it has even awoken us humans a time or two...well, one can imagine how it would frighten a timid bunny! 
Oh dear, it is almost spring after all, and I suppose one should expect a bit more festivities to occur in the small dwellings (just wait until you hear how the frogs can behave!).  And, regrettably not much can be done to stop these carousals.  Even if confronted with their boorish behavior, cats will rarely change their stripes.  I'm afraid poor Mrs. Rabbit will just have to stock up on the ear plugs.

Toadstool Market Day

The weekend is almost upon us all and with it comes so much to do.  Isn't it always that way?  But, for those in the small dwellings, weekend errands are a joy, not a burden.  Who wouldn't be happy to shop in such a charming place and for such fine wares?  Although why Mrs. Mouse would consult with Mrs. Shrew, I haven't a clue.  Everyone knows how timid and undecided she can be!  She most often leaves the market with her basket still empty, then sits home wringing her hands when her family wants to eat (which is quite often in the Shrew family) and the cupboard is bare.  Then back to the market she quickly scampers to purchase something that by that time is usually quite past.  Poor thing.  She is most definitely not known for her meals either!  But, she is a sweet thing, and trys very hard to overcome her faults.  And, to her credit, she does make one thing quite well--Honeysuckle Moth Stew which she serves with her famous deep berry cordial.  And, to their credit, and an ode to their appetites, her family dines on it quite often and quite graciously, which brings a blush and a smile to her pointy little face. 

Rain Drops

Rain at ButtonWillow cottage.  Scurrying and scampering everywhere one looks.  I do hope the Mouse family finds their home snug and dry.  As for us in the cottage, we will be surrounded with the warmth of scones and soup and daydreams of springtime.