Furwaggle Chapter 31

Chapter 31
Spring Time

The best thing about winter is when it's over and is replaced by spring. When the season’s switch from winter to spring, that is when we trade-in frostbite for hay fever. In the real world this swap is celebrated with great feelings of joy. But in the fictitious dreamland called Furwaggle it is never too hot or too cold, it’s always just right. But there is still gladness for the new crop of flowers and newness to the land.
It is early morning and Wiggles is still cuddled in his straw nest up in the hayloft of the barn. He is not really asleep nor is he awake. He is just jelling, with his eyes closed and his brain randomly wondering over good thoughts. But then, there is an interruption to his tranquility. Wiggles is doing his best to not pay any attention to his name being called from the barn door. It is like a buzz saw in his brain and he can’t ignore it any longer. He slowly opens one eye but all he sees is a blur. He then opens his other eye and it’s a double blur. Wiggles then puts on his glasses and things clear up a little but the name-calling is still there and so is his poor eyesight. Wiggles stands up, ruffles his feathers as he calls out, “Who is it that’s bringing noise to my morning”. There comes a reply, “Its me, Zorba”, “and its me Fluffy. Come on its daylight and its breakfast time”. Wiggles figures he might as well get up because these two aren’t going to go away and anyway, he had lost his jell. So he climbs down the ladder to the barn floor and joins his two friends on the short walk to the chuck house.
Breakfast goes on as normal with a lot of munching and slurping sounds, mostly from Fluffy. At one point Fluffy asked, “Zorba, what is it that you’re eating”. “Well if you must know”, answered Zorba, “it’s a banana with cream, and a big dash of hot sauce”. With a puzzled look Fluffy asked, “do all circus monkeys eat that for breakfast”. Zorba shot back, “I don’t know about that but this circus performer does”. Fluffy ignored Zorbas sarcasm and asked. “Do you want to know what I ate for breakfast”? With disdain Zorba replied, “No, I really don’t want to know”. By now Fluffy had finished his breakfast and was licking the bowl clean. He noticed that Wiggles plate was still about half full, so he asked, “What’s the matter Wiggles, don’t you like your corn this morning”. With a scornful look Wiggles said, “Naw, it’s a little tough, I don’t think it’s been cooked enough”. With that they got up and went out on to the chuck house porch.
Once on the porch Fluffy immediately lays down with his head resting on his paws and Wiggles heads for his favorite chair for some peaceful rocking. These two are getting set for a little after breakfast relaxation but not Zorba; he does a double black flip off the porch. After landing with a flourish, he calls out, “Come on you two, up and at them, you’re burning daylight and there are things to be done”. Fluffy's eyes are at about half-mast and Wiggles is just getting comfortable in his rocking chair. “Not me”, mumbles Fluffy, “I got spring fever”. Mockingly Zorba shoots back, “Looks more like gold-bricking to me”. Wiggles inquires to Fluffy, “What is it with him this morning”. Fluffy lifts up his head and says, “I think it’s that hot sauce he had for breakfast, that is doing it”. Wiggles realized that there is no way that Zorba is going to let him do any jelling, so he asked him, “Just what is it that you want to do”. With glee Zorba answers, “It’s about time you woke up to what is going on. It’s springtime and there is a new crop of flowers over in the valley just waiting for us to enjoy. Come on with me and see what Mother Nature has made for all to see”. Reluctantly Wiggles and Fluffy get up and start following behind Zorba as he skips down the dirt road toward the valley of the flowers.
At about the halfway point to the valley, Fluffy suddenly stops and barks out, “Say, do you two smell what I smell”. Holding his nose Wiggles says, “I don’t know, but it sure isn’t the perfume of flowers that I’m smelling”. As the odor gets stronger, Zorba has his tail rapped around his nose and he points down the road and says, “I don’t know what it is but it’s coming toward us”. Sure enough, coming down the road, walking in the direction of the trio is Baby Skunk. As he gets closer, Baby calls out, “Hi there fellows. Are you going to the valley of the flowers? If you are then you’re in for a treat because they smell fantastic”. With that Baby Skunk passed by the threesome and their only responses are a wave and some coughing but each has a private opinion. Wiggles was, “How would he know”, Fluffy's mind could only come up with, “That’s sure no recommendation” and Zorba's thought was, “I hope he didn’t leave anything behind”. With that they hurried on down the road where the air was fresher.
After a little more walking they crest a little hill and there it is, the valley of flowers. It is a sea of yellow cornflowers, all aglow as far as the eye can see. With a hoop and a yell Zorba immediately runs out into the field of flowers, while Fluffy and Wiggles stand on the road enjoying the magnificent view. Then Zorba’s yelling takes on a whole different tone. It has more a tone of pain than joy. “What is the matter”, calls out Wiggles. Fluffy adds, “Did you step on a thorn”. While holding one foot and hopping on the other, Zorba shouts back, “No, something bit me”. Then there came a squeaky high-pitched little voice, “and it serves you right, stepping on me the way you did”. Fluffy is the first to realize whom it was talking to Zorba. “Gee”, said Fluffy, “I didn’t know flowers could talk”. Then the flower said, “Well let me tell you something, my name is Sunny and I’m of the sunflower clan and we take it very personal when some big footed dummy steps on us. And yes, we can talk, all you have to do is clean out your ears and listen”. By now Zorba had hopped back onto the road. Still holding one foot he blurts out, “Well I don’t know about the flower talking thing but he sure can bite”. With an apologetic tone Wiggles says, “Look Sunny we are sorry about the stepping on you thing and we will be more careful”. This seemed to calm Sunny some and he said, “I know it shouldn’t need to be said but have you ever been told that it is ok to look but don’t touch and definitely no stepping on anything”. Wiggles then turned to Zorba and Fluffy and said, “I think it’s about time we started back to the barnyard”. “Sure is”, said Fluffy, it’s getting close to lunch and we sure don’t want to miss that”.
With a wave goodby to Sunny, the three start back up the road toward home. Fluffy is out in front mumbling, “I didn’t know flowers could talk”, he is followed by Wiggles who is helping the limping Zorba.
My tiny mind thinks that it is a good thing to look but don’t touch, most of the time.

Continued… (Maybe).
------------------------------------------------------------

Here is a simple little teaser for you
Block Maze