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A sweet seasonal blog for all to enjoy - especially children!
Please feel free to print this story or the accompanying coloring pages for use in classrooms, sunday schools, camps, after school programs, or wherever we can help children learn more about animals.
Blueberry Lane Herb Farm
Advocates for Rescue and Adoption
Chapter One
Sniffle, Sniffle, boo hoo, hoo, hoo
Curious sounds stirred Rasmus from his afternoon nap. The sounds repeated, and repeated. He stretched out his hind legs. He stretched his neck up from under the living room chair and yawned. Pedro was cat napping on the sofa. He woke up just in time to see Rasmus’s two front teeth glisten from under the brown fur that trimmed his lips. “Senor Rasmus, what was that noise?” Rasmus turned his tall ears, in usual fashion, this way and that way.
Boo hoo, hoo, hoo. Sniffle. Sniffle.
Pedro and Rasmus quietly tippy pawed to the dining room. There was Guinevere sobbing over a map. It was spread across the dining room table. Tilly was a flutter trying to pull tissues from the tissue box. Tilly got stuck in the tissue box in the process while tears dampened Guinevere’s long guinea pig fur. Feathers were flapping as the box was tipping and tapping. Pedro ran to Tilly’s rescue. He chewed a wider opening in the box to help her out. Tilly popped up with another tissue for Guinevere. A concerned Rasmus asked, “Guinevere, what has you so upset? The map is wrinkly and wet from your crying! Oh, I see, this is a map to Peapack.”
Sniffle. Sniffle.
Guinevere could barely speak. She had to catch her breath. “Oh, Raa‐Raa‐Raasmus, I’m sad for all the animals in shelters. I remember how lonely I was until Coral Bell adopted me. I was thinking about how we eat dinner every night around this table. Animals in shelters eat all alone, and they have no one to love them. And they have no one to love back. Let’s think of a way to help get all the animals adopted on Saturday at the Peapack adoption fair. Can you all help me think of ideas?”
Tilly chirped, “Can you keep a secret? Oops‐a‐daisy, never mind.”
Guinevere perked up. “What secret? If it’s a secret, then you can’t tell us! Or maybe you can? I think you can. We are all trusty troopers. Hey, Pedro, go out to the barn and bring in some hay to snack on. Take my basket and stuff it full of timothy.” Pedro, being a polite chinchilla, obliged and went straight to the barn.
“Pedro can’t keep a secret to save his life. Now that he’s busy, what’s the secret Tilly? Come on, I
cannot be left in suspense, it makes my fur uncurl. Tell me, tell me, tell me,” Guinevere insisted as she stroked Tilly’s feathers. Tilly felt unsure about revealing a secret. She fluttered from the dining room chair to the curtain rod to preen her feathers. “I’m considering it Guin. It could be classified information.”
Rasmus stomped his rear leg. “Ladies, it’s not right to spill the beans. You must not ever betray someone by telling their secret. It’s not up to you to tell. However, if someone didn’t tell you that the news is a secret, then it’s not a real secret. According to the dictionary, a secret is something kept hidden, like a mystery. Or a secret is something kept from others or shared in private. I suppose in this case that Tilly’s information is not a real secret.”
Pedro dragged the basket of into the dining room, just in time. Tilly was flying circles around the chandelier, debating what to do. She screeched, “Rasmus, since you are very smart, I trust that you are right about secrets. Now, everyone calm down. The secret is, well, we are going to the rescue fair in the pony cart!”
Everyone jumped up and down. They held hands and danced around the dining room table in glee. Pedro piped up, “Oh, my! Now I know why there’s a horse in the barn. Oh, I guess the cat is out of the bag now.” Pedro rolled on the floor laughing at his joke, and the others stood in surprise. “A CAT!” shrieked Guinevere. “I don’t like cats! It will chase me, and my fur will get tangled!” “No, no, no” said Pedro. “It means she spilled the beans, silly. More importantly, there’s a horse in the barn! ”
Tilly screeched again, “I’ll be right back everyone, I have something important to do.”
Tilly flew to the barn and perched on a hay rack in Boulder’s stall. She bobbled side to side with enthusiasm. Boulder was gazing at the view to the pasture. His big brown eyes looked peaceful, as though he was in dream land.
“Boulder, Boulder Hill. Hello. It it’s Tilly. Remember me? We met when you first came here. I
brought you an apple slice. Remember? I hope you like our farm. Anyway, did you know we are all going to the Peapack rescue fair? Coral Bell said you will take us with the pony cart!”
Tilly’s gusto made Boulder curious, in a happy way. He turned to the hay rack; Tilly was still bobbling. “Boulder, can you keep a secret? I always wanted to ride a horse. All my life, I always wanted to, really, I have. May I ride you to the rescue fair? Do I need a saddle? How would I hold on? Am I too heavy? Do I need a riding hat? Oh Boulder, this would make my dream come true! What do you think?”
Boulder was overwhelmed with Tilly’s lively questions. His brown eyes widened with delight. He whinnied. He shook his head. His tail swooshed back and forth. He whinnied again. Then a deep voice spoke. His tone was soft and calming:
“Hello Tilly. Pleased to see you again.
I remember you. I remember the apple slice.
It’s hard to be the horse who’s new, and you were very nice.
You may ride me to the fair. I will pull you in a cart anywhere.
You may sit on my withers, you may sit on my back.
Saddles are for people, so I need little tack.
I do not know if you need a hat, I do not know things like that.
I will walk a steady pace. After all, it’s not a race.
It will be my delight. Ahh, my new home is feeling quite right!”
Meanwhile, in the dining room, Rasmus, told everyone to prepare a speech about their adoption story. Pedro was most unhappy about the idea. “Senor Rasmus, perdóneme, but what do you know? You were born on Blueberry Lane Herb Farm. No fair. You won’t have to habla en inglés when you think in Español”, blurted Pedro. His knees wobbled as he thought about speaking in front of strangers, so he scurried to find a fidget stick to nibble. Rasmus thumped, he felt dismayed. He wiggled his whiskers. He huffed and puffed.
Tilly returned and comforted Pedro. “Pedro, your English is getting better. My Spanish is getting better from listening to Coral Bell’s tutoring lessons. I will help you write your speech.” “Oh, Senorita Tilly, eres un buen amigo. Te amo por eso!” “What did he say Tilly,” nosey Rasmus asked. Tilly chirped, “Pedro said I am a good friend and that he loves me for that. Rasmus, you better mend your fence with Pedro and figure out what special thing you will do for the adoption fair!”
Rasmus hopped back under the living room chair to think. Tilly, Pedro, and Guinevere wrote their speeches. They practiced them in front of each other. They timed each speech to make sure they were equal in length. They practiced and practiced. They even helped each other select outfits to wear to look their best. Finally, they had a dress rehearsal.
Pedro sported his favorite red and white stripe sweater in honor of the Peruvian flag. Tilly selected a purple hat and cape. Guinevere chose her favorite pink dress. “Oh Tilly, can you please put my fur up in a fancy furdo?” You can add the sparkly pink doodads Coral Bell gave me for Christmas. That way, I can show off how well pets are taken care of when they get adopted.”
Thump. Thump Thump Thump
Rasmus was listening from under the living room chair. Thumping signaled his disapproval of Guinevere’s ideas. “Guinevere, for parsley sake, you better not over dress! Think how bad it will make the animals feel if you show off a fancy outfit. What’s this nonsense about a furdo with sparkly doodads? They will feel so forlorn. And what if some don’t get adopted? Sometimes it’s best to be plain. A plain Jane. That’s it Guinevere. Be a plain Jane.” Guinevere stomped her little paw in protest because she loved to be glamorous and glittery, a real girly girl.
Tilly and Pedro agreed with Rasmus. Tilly talked Guinevere into wearing a plain jumper instead of a glamorous dress. After some pouting and protesting, Guinevere decided to cooperate with everyone. Then she demanded to know what Rasmus would do to promote rescue pet adoptions.
Rasmus explained that Coral Bell gave him permission to make up coupons to give to pet parents. He showed a sample of how it would look:
Everyone clapped with approval. Rasmus went to work making the coupons on colorful paper. Pedro and Guinevere helped by cutting and folding. With her beak, Tilly neatly packed the coupons in a sack. When they finished, Rasmus had his own dress rehearsal. He tried on the sack. He placed it over his head; the strap rested on one shoulder and the pouch was on the opposite side. He hopped about to make sure the sack was secure. But it dragged, and it dragged. It caused him to stumble.
“I have an idea,” Tilly exclaimed. “I can fix that. I watch Coral Bell sew. I spied a needle and thread in a pin cushion. I will fly upstairs to the sewing room and get it.” With her beak, Tilly worked the needle in and out of the burlap strap with precision. Up and down, in and out, she worked while Rasmus held the strap steady for her.
Rasmus tested the burlap sack again. When he stood on his hind legs, he could reach into the sack for the coupons. “Thanks Tilly! Your adjustment was perfect, and you are always so helpful. Now we are all ready for the fair on Saturday. This will be our first ride in the pony cart and I’m so excited!”
Boo hoo, hoo, hoo. Sniffle. Sniffle.
“Guinevere, now what’s the matter?” Rasmus huffed in exasperation. Pedro darted underneath the sofa. “Ut‐oh,” he mumbled to himself, “I’m in trouble.” Tilly cackled in laughter. “My fur, my long beautiful fur. Look at it! Just look at it on the floor. Pedro cut it off! Pedro, how can you mix up my fur for paper? You’re gonna get it!” Just as she ran off after Pedro, Rasmus caught Guinevere and hugged her. “Guin, it’s OK, you still look pretty even though you have stickie up bangs. Remember, you’re not in a shelter, and that’s what this is all about. Tilly, stop giggling at Guinevere, this instant!”
Jingle Jingle Jingle…..Jingle Jingle Jingle
That Saturday was a chilly February morning. Light snowflakes flurried about. Coral Bell prepared Boulder Hill to pull the cart to the fair. The chestnut horse looked regal in his blue blanket. Coral Bell embroidered it with his name: “Boulder Hill, Blueberry Lane Herb Farm”. Sleigh bells jingled on the harness and it made the occasion extra festive. One by one, Coral Bell cozied up her adopted family with a warm blanket in the cart. Tilly’s dream of riding a horse finally came true. She perched on top of Boulder’s leather halter to steady herself while she held a rein that Coral Bell made just for her. It was the precise size for her to hold with her beak.
Off they went, rolling along in the cart while singing songs.
Over the river and thru the woods to Peapack we go.
Boulder knows the way to carry the sleigh thru the light and gentle snow, oh.
Over the river and thru the woods to the fair we go,
We’ll brave the crowd and speak out loud that pet adoption is the way to go!
When they arrived, they were greeted by local rescue organizations for cats, dogs, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, rabbits, chinchillas, ferrets, and mice and rats. Coral Bell assisted the shoppers. Rasmus, Guinevere, Till, and Pedro socialized with the adoptees. The crowd gathered to hear the speakers. Guinevere and Tilly went first while Pedro gnawed on his notes. They received applause, and one guest even whistled. Pedro was hesitant. As he approached the microphone, he shook. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath to start his speech. His inner voice told him to be his little Peruvian self, and that other people may appreciate hearing his home language too (English follows):
"¡Hola Damas y Caballeros! Me llamo Pedro, y soy un chinchilla de Perú. Fue un largo viaje para llegar a los Estados Unidos. Extraño mucho a mi familia en Perú. Se suponía que iba a vivir con un niño acá en los Estados Unidos. No sé qué pasó, pero terminé en un refugio de animales no deseados. No tenía amigos, ni familia. Me encontraba en una jaula fría con un piso de alambre que me lastimaba los pies. No comimos bien en el refugio. No podía darme los baños de polvo que necesitaba. No tenía juguetes. Me dormía llorando cada noche. Me parecía que había estado allí por millones de años. Una mañana temprano, la Señorita Coral Bell vino al refugio. Pidió permiso de levantarme. Ella olía rico. Sus caricias eran cariñosas y suaves. Yo quería acurrucarme con ella. Por primera vez, no tenía ganas de esconderme. Ella me miró a los ojos. Entonces, me preguntó si quisiera ir a vivir con ella en su granja. Me dijo que tendría un hermano Rasmus, y dos hermanas, Tilly y Guinevere. Todo me parecía tan romántico. Me dio miedo decirle que “sí,” así que asentí con la cabeza. Así fue como vine a vivir en la granja de hierbas llamada Blueberry Lane. Ahora tengo un trabajo muy importante. ¿Ves aquel caballo bonito? Es el nuevo miembro de nuestra familia, y se llama Boulder Hill. Mi trabajo es hacerle sentir como en casa y hacer que sepa lo mucho que lo queremos. Coral Bell dice que nos amará hasta el cielo y más. Cada noche, me acuesto sabiendo que soy amado. Y lo que es mejor, tengo una familia a quien puedo corresponderle el amor, también. Esta familia no se parece a mí. No hablan mi idioma. No son chinchillas. Pero son especiales. Tilly, la papagaya, me ayuda con mi inglés, y los ayuda a todos siempre que pueda. Rasmus, el conejo, es muy listo y, ¡nosotros los chicos somos muy unidos! Guinevere, la cobaya, pues, ella me hace reír mucho. Boulder Hill y yo estamos apenas llegando a conocernos. Él tiene un alma gentil. Lo más importante que aprendí de mi adopción es que un corazón que ama es algo que se puede regalar a familiares y amigos todos los días."
A huge surprise! Someone in the crowd stepped forward and translated Pedro’s speech for the people who didn’t speak Spanish!
“Hello Ladies and Gentlemen. My name is Pedro, and I am a chinchilla from Peru. It was a long journey to the USA. I miss my family in Peru a lot. I was supposed to live with a little boy in the USA. I do not know what happened, but I ended up in a shelter. I had no friends, no family. I was in a cold cage with a wire floor that hurt my paws. They did not feed us well. I didn’t get many dust baths. I had no toys. I cried myself to sleep every night. It felt like I was there a million years. Early one morning, Miss Coral Bell came to the shelter. She asked to hold me. She smelled pretty. Her pets were soft and loving. I wanted to snuggle with her. For the first time, I didn’t want to hide. She looked into my eyes. The she asked me if I would like to live on a farm with her. She said I would have a brother Rasmus, and two sisters, Tilly and Guinevere. It all sounded so romantic. I was too afraid to say yes, so I nodded my head. That’s how I came to live on Blueberry Lane Herb Farm. Now I have a very important job. Do you see that handsome horse? That is our new family member, and his name is Boulder Hill. My job is to make him feel at home and let him know how much we love him. Coral Bell says she will love us all to the moon and back. I know I am loved every night I go to bed. What’s even better is that I have a family to love back. This family doesn’t look like me. They don’t speak my home language. They aren’t chinchillas. But they are special. Tilly, the parrot, helps me with English, and she helps everyone any way she can. Rasmus, the rabbit, is very smart and us boys stick together! Guinevere, the guinea pig, well, she just makes me laugh a lot. Boulder Hill and I are just getting to know each other. He has a gentle soul. The most important thing I learned from being adopted is that having a loving heart is a gift you can give to your family and friends every day.”
The crowd was in tears as they applauded Pedro. Boulder Hill whinnied with delight. Pedro’s s story motivated everyone to adopt, on the spot, because he was so inspiring!
While Rasmus gave out the coupons, Coral Bell shared information about the Small Pet Select company. She talked about how the website hosts educational information, food, toys, blogs, and lots of fun info. She praised the Small Pet Select transport team for enabling relocation for adoptees from other States in safe and healthy conditions.
Coral Bell reminded visitors of the benefits of adoption, such as:
At the end of the day, every animal at the fair went home to their furever homes. The fair was a marvelous success due to everyone’s help.
Jingle Jingle Jingle…..Jingle Jingle Jingle
The bells jingled a lot brighter on the way home. Boulder Hill was very proud to take the family home to the farm. He trotted with his head held high and a heart full of gratitude for he himself was rescued and he realized the special family he is blessed with.
The End
Written By
Peggy Macaoay
And here are some coloring pages! Just click to download.
You can also download this whole story here!
Thanksgiving at Blueberry Lane Herb Farm
Chapter One
Plop. Skippity plop. Plop. Plop.
The November sun dappled shadows on the grass through the oak leaves. The acorns plopped down and rolled toward the pond. For a century, this old tree gave acorns to the chipmunks. This old tree was home to new bird nests each spring. This old tree held the tire swing for day dreamers. AND, it was the official meeting spot where important things were planned at Blueberry Lane Herb Farm!
Rasmus, being the rabbit in charge, stood up tall on his rear legs. He pushed Tilly on the tire swing while she enjoyed the ride.
Swoosh
The swing softly swayed toward the pond. Yellow and red falling leaves drifted in the air.
Swissshhh
The swing floated back to Rasmus. Tilly naturally spread her green wings wide to catch the breeze.
From inside the tire swing, two gray ears wobbled as they poked out. Those two little ears belonged to Pedro the chinchilla, who was relaxing with each sway.
Spread beneath the tree was a lovely red checkered table cloth. Guinevere stirred the blackberry tea and made snack plates for everyone. “Guinevere,” Rasmus said, “Please don’t let your long guinea pig fur dunk in the tea cups!” Guinevere pretended she didn’t hear him.
Clink Clink. Clink Clink.
Guinevere clinked teaspoons together. Time for the important meeting to start. Coral Bell, the herb farm mistress, was tutoring two students in the library, so there was no chance she would overhear the secret conversation.
Rasmus was chairman of the meeting. “Friends, Thanksgiving is two weeks away. Who thinks we should do something special for Coral Bell? You know, to show her our thanks for taking care of us?” Tilly spread one green wing in agreement. Pedro popped out of the tire swing with a raised paw. Guinevere clapped.
“Good, I’m glad we all agree. I propose we make a special dish for Thanksgiving dinner. Who has a suggestion?” After much discussion, the plan was set. All the talk about delicious food made Pedro’s tummy growl with hunger. He nibbled on his favorite snack, carrot dandelion Small Pet Select Healthy Snackers.
“There’s plenty of fat pumpkins in the patch”, Rasmus said excitedly. “I can roll one to the back door. Coral Bell’s recipe book has instructions, step by step. Pedro and I can make the soup.” Guinevere, you can set a festive Thanksgiving table. Besides, you’ll get that fur of yours in the soup, and no one wants that!” Guinevere tried her best to stomp her little paw in protest, but it’s never as loud as Rasmus’s thumping.
“Tilly, are you happy to drizzle honey on apple slices for dessert?” Rasmus questioned. Tilly flapped her wings with delight! After all, it’s an opportunity to sneak extra honey on her birdseed for a treat!
Chapter Two
The day before Thanksgiving, Rasmus figured out how to hollow out the pumpkin. He realized this would take team work. It had to be done while Coral Bell was busy. They all waited until Coral Bell was hanging the harvested herbs to dry in the barn.
ZZig. ZZag. ZZZiiig. ZZZaaag. ZZZZiiiig. ZZZZaaag.
Once Rasmus got the rhythm going, he sawed off the top of the pumpkin. The uneven timing of the saw made Pedro jumpy. He nibbled on fidget sticks to keep busy. Meanwhile, Tilly perched on the parsley pot, carefully supervising Rasmus with a bird’s eye view. Guinevere collected mums to decorate the table.
“Pedro, I need your help,” Rasmus bellowed. “Jump inside the pumpkin and dig out the seeds. Pedro’s eyes lit up with distress. “Senor Rasmus, jump in the pumpkin? It’s a big orange globe! It’s yucky inside, it’s slimy and wet. No gracias senor!” Pedro cried.
Guinevere chimed in. “Pedro, you can wear a rain coat! I don’t want to live with a pumpkiny Peruvian chinchilla!” Pedro replied, “Senora Guinevere, no tengo un rain coat. And when I get dirty, I will have to take a dust bath.
Again. Guinevere tried to thump like Rasmus since his thumping was such an attention getter. Her tiny little guinea pig feet barely made a sound. In frustration, Guinevere hollered, “Pedro, you can wear my pink raincoat and rain bonnet, the glittery one!” Pedro imagined himself covered in pumpkin goo. Then he imagined himself in a pink raincoat and glittery bonnet. Then he imagined himself sitting in the pumpkin eating all those seeds! All this imagining made him fret. He looked about, wondering where he could hide. He wished he had another fidget stick to nibble on.
Tilly had a plan. She whistled for Pedro and flew upstairs to the library. All sorts of neat things were in the library where Coral Bell tutored her students, and it was far away from the pumpkin on the porch. Pedro followed, hoping no one noticed him disappear. With her beak, Tilly pulled on a ribbon to open Coral Bell’s sewing box. “Pedro, no one will find you in here.” With a running leap, Pedro jumped in. He buried himself under a tangled mess of embroidery floss to hide.
Rasmus was tired from sawing, so he took a nap in his favorite spot. He settled down under the wing chair in the living room with his front paws tucked under his chest. Nice and comfy on the carpet, it was dark, and far away from Tilly’s perch. No chance of hearing Tilly practice her opera singing. Away he went into dreamland.
Meanwhile, Guinevere decided to set the table a day early. This way, she would have lots of time to dress up for Thanksgiving dinner. The special dishes were stored in the dining room china cabinet. She realized it would take her some time to carefully move the plates, cups, and saucers, one by one, to the table. After all, she is just a little guinea pig.
She merrily started her work. Rasmus was sound asleep. Pedro was in the sewing box. Tilly was perched on a dining room chair.
“Tilly, can you please fold these napkins nice and neat with your beak? I’ll take one dish at a time out to set the table.” Tilly obliged. She helped Coral Bell fold laundry, so she knew just how to fold a napkin in a neat square. The pair worked quietly. Until…….
Smash. Clatter, clatter.
The pair stopped. Dead silence. Rasmus stirred. Something wasn’t right. He wiggled out from under the chair. He sat up. He turned his tall ears this way and that way. Still silent. He quietly hopped to the next room, which happened to be the dining room. He was still groggy from his nap. He peered around the corner, not sure what was happening.
Tilly was tweeting words of comfort to Guinevere. Wrapped in Tilly’s wings, she sobbed. “Oh Tilly, Coral Bell will be so upset with me. Maybe we can glue the broken plate back together. Does Coral Bell have glue in her sewing room?” Rasmus stood up on his hind legs to get a better view. He could see how upset Guinevere was. He wanted to scold her. He sat down for a moment. His big ears flattened out when he was thinking. Rasmus decided that scolding her over an accident would make her feel worse. The best thing to do was to help her.
While searching for glue in the library, Rasmus heard a snoring noise. He swiveled his tall ears like radar antennas. He heard it again. And again. It was coming from the sewing box.
Rasmus snuck a peek inside. A pile of embroidery floss moved up and down. Something pink stuck out between the floss. Something gray dangled out of the sewing box. Rasmus thought it looked oddly familiar. Meanwhile Tilly flew upstairs. She screeched at the sight of Rasmus! Out of fright, he dropped the sewing box lid. Yelping erupted from the box. Rasmus slowly opened the lid. Two dark eyes peered out between the strands of embroidery floss.
“Pedro! What are you doing in there? Is the pumpkin cleaned out yet? That’s your job! Why are you goofing off in the sewing box? Are you sewing something in there?
Pedro whimpered in protest. “I refuse to go in the pumpkin!! I just won’t! Guinevere will make me wear her pink raincoat and bonnet! Senor Rasmus, I had a dream while I took a nap. In my dream, you got a big spoon and scooped out the pumpkin yourself! So, I am not leaving the sewing box until Thanksgiving is over unless you clean out the pumpkin!”
Chapter Three
THUMP!
Rasmus was upset that he was stuck with a big pumpkin all by himself. That was not the deal, Pedro was supposed to be his pumpkin soup partner. He stomped outside to the porch. With a big spoon, he angrily dug into the pumpkin. He chiseled out the pulp. He pulled. And he pulled. And with a heave ho, he tossed the ewy, gooey pumpkin pulp out. The slippery clumps landed on the porch floor.
After Tilly and Guinevere finished gluing the broken plate, they talked Pedro out of the sewing box. “Pedro you have to do your part. You must help make the soup. That was the plan. Come on, let’s go help Rasmus with the pumpkin.” Pedro realized they were right. He had to keep his word to Rasmus. His honor was important to him, so he had to try his best to help. With new energy, they all rushed out to the porch.
Whoops-a-daisy! Whoa! Ouch. Oweee.
Guinevere and Pedro slipped on the pumpkin pulp and tumbled down the porch steps. Rasmus froze still. His eyes got very big. They were a sight to behold. Pumpkin slime mixed in the strands of fur. Pumpkin seeds stuck all over them. They looked so funny. Tilly tucked her face under her wing to giggle. Rasmus tried so hard not to laugh that his tail wiggled out of control.
Guinevere and Pedro picked themselves up and stared at each other. They too started laughing; all four friends laughed so much their bellies shook.
Guinevere took a warm bubble bath while Pedro played in a dust bath. Pedro saved all the seeds that were stuck to him for an emergency snack. Tilly used her beak to pick out the seeds that remained tangled in Guinevere’s long white fur. It took so long, that Tilly made up a song that went like this:
Pumpkin gooey, slippery and chewy
Pumpkin gooey, cold and wet
Pumpkin gooey, seeds are tangled
Pumpkin gooey, what a mess
Meanwhile, Rasmus set up the kitchen to make the soup. Coral Bell’s cookbook was open to Page 23, “Aunt Pinkie’s Pumpkin Soup” recipe. He put the big soup pot on the stove. Pumpkin chunks were on the cutting board. Fresh herbs were washed. Pedro read the recipe directions to Rasmus. Since Rasmus was bigger and stronger, he chopped the pumpkin and herbs. Tilly’s singing was getting on Pedro’s nerves, so he nibbled on the cookbook. Then he snitched some sage when Rasmus wasn’t looking. He nibbled on his apron. Once all the ingredients were simmering in the soup pot, Pedro and Rasmus napped under the wing chair. A little operatic voice continued to fill the air as they snoozed….
Pumpkin gooey, kind of phooey……
Chapter Three
Everyone dressed in their Sunday best on Thanksgiving Day. Guinevere wore a pale blue dress. Tilly styled her long guinea pig fur up in an extra fancy “furdo”. Rasmus wore a handsome bow tie. Pedro sported a red and white sweater. The colors represented the flag of Peru to remind him of his homeland. Tilly had preened her feathers, and they sparkled with glitter tipped wings for an extra glamourous look.
Coral Bell was delightfully surprised to see a charming Thanksgiving table set with her china and yellow mums. The simmering pumpkin soup smelled delicious. The family sat down to celebrate. Coral Bell served the warm soup in the fancy china soup bowls. While the family dined together with their best table manners. Coral Bell asked what everyone was grateful for.
Tilly went first. “I am thankful you rescued me from a cold pet store. Now I have my own bird cage with a view of the herb farm, and I can fly free when I want to help my friends. And I am thankful you play the piano when I sing my opera songs.”
Next was Pedro. “Senorita, I miss my country, Peru, mucho. Since you adopted me, I have nuevos amigos that help me with my Ingles and I have a lot of love and plenty of snacks to nibble. Tilly helps me to feel less nervous. Guinevere makes me laugh. Rasmus gives me sensible advice.”
Guinevere was third. “Miss Coral Bell, you make a warm and cozy home for all of us. Even though we are all different, we are one family because you adopted us. You make sure we have everything we need, and the most important thing is a whole lotta’ love.”
Rasmus was last. “I call you Mama because I am the only one here that was born on the herb farm. Remember? I was born in a burrow under the maple tree. I wasn’t happy when you adopted Tilly, Pedro, and Guinevere. Now I am though, because I see you have enough love for all of us. They are my brother and sisters now, and I try to be a good big brother. I would be lonely without them.”
Her heart overflowed with joy. Coral Bell was grateful to her adoptees for giving her the family she always dreamed of. Through them, she watched them open their hearts to each other through:
♦ humor and sadness
♦ compassion and kindness
♦ forgiveness and understanding
♦ tolerance and acceptance
Coral Bell received the sweet and loving gift of gratitude for Thanksgiving.
~ by Peggy Macaoay
And here are some coloring pages! Just click to download.
Chapter One
Swoosh, the screen door swung wide open.
Bang, the screen door clattered closed.
Plop, went the shopping bag - hope nothin’s broken.
Thump. Thump, thump. Thump, thump, thump.
Rasmus’s strong feet gave the signal that something was happening. Pedro, Guinevere, and Tilly were warned to be on the lookout. Rasmus remained still, like a statue. True to rabbit alert procedures, he listened for more sounds. Then he turned his tall brown ears this way and that way. Rasmus announced the coast was clear for there was nothing to fear!
The sudden thumping made Tilly drop the comb from her beak and Guinevere fell off the piano bench. Tilly was practicing new “hair dos” on Guinevere for her first day back to school. All the commotion startled Pedro from his nap on the sofa.
Guinevere tip toed over to peek into the kitchen. She stretched her little neck to peek around the corner. Rasmus hopped behind to see for himself. Guinevere’s long fur was in an “up do” and blocked his view. So Rasmus balanced his two front paws on Guinevere’s back. He lifted himself up for a better view over her fluff and curls. Then, at the sound of a paper bag crinkling, Rasmus quickly twisted his tall ears forward, and he lost his balance!
Kerplop! Flip…Flop.
The spying duo fell over!! Guinevere hollered, “Rasmus, get out of my fur this instant! Go use those big ears somewhere else. Look what you’ve done! You goofed up my new furdo. Did you know Tilly has to fly around with a comb in her beak to style my fur? Did you know how patient she is putting curlers in my fur? Rasmus, I am so excited about the first day of school, and my fur must look JUST RIGHT! I’m so worried I won’t be pretty enough! Besides, once Tilly perfects my furdo, I want to enter the Top Ten Cuties contest at Small Pet Select!
Rasmus felt ashamed. He put his head down and thought about Guinevere’s feelings. Then he perked up and said, “Guinevere, I am sorry your fur is goofed up. Maybe Tilly should cut it short like mine. You worry too much about it. If you don’t worry about how you look, you can think about good things. You can focus on earning good grades in school instead of how you look.” Guinevere wrinkled her nose in protest. Guinevere thought the best thing about school was being with her friends. She always wondered why a long-haired guinea pig needed to know things like math.
Crunch crunch. Crunch, crunch, crunch. Crunch.
With all this commotion, Pedro nervously nibbled the timothy hay he had hidden under the sofa cushion. At the sight of the scattered hay, he realized Coral Bell would not appreciate the mess. His little paws scooped up every piece of stray hay. He stuffed it all in his cheek pouches to hide the evidence.
Coral Bell called everyone into the kitchen. The paper bag crinkled while she pulled out the surprises. New school supplies for the furry ones and a new record for Tilly. For once, Tilly was happy she was not a student because she thought her record was much more fun than school stuff.
Tilly considers herself a working girl. When Coral Bell tutors her students in the library, they are entertained by silly Tilly when she “parrots” their Spanish lessons. Tilly’s mimicking even helps the students remember their lessons in a fun way. If she’s in the mood, Tilly pretends her bird cage is a stage, and she sings opera songs after the students have a good lesson.
The crinkling paper bag was enticing to Rasmus and Pedro. Paper bags make wonderful hiding spots for chinchillas and bunnies, and they are fun to shred! It was a bonus when Coral Bell left the bag for them to play with.
Pedro counted his pencils. Then he had Tilly recounted his pencils with her beak. He tucked the new eraser in the red pencil case with emergency hay and a few meadow loops. He reminded himself it’s better to have extra snacks for nervous energy. Then he rechecked his red pencil case to make sure all the pencils were still there, with the pencil sharpener. Lastly, he stuffed a whole box of Small Pet Select Fidget sticks in his back pack for extra, extra nervous energy.
Chomp, chomp, chomp.
Pedro was feeling nervous about going to school. Without realizing it, he started chewing on his supplies. “Uh oh. Oh my. Oh no. That was an accident, I’m not supposed to chew composition books.” Pedro whispered to himself, but he kept chewing, he couldn’t help it. Rasmus finished packing his back pack and hopped over to share extra supplies with Pedro.
“Pedro! Your new notebook has a corner chewed off!” Pedro’s cheeks were stuffed. He hastily swallowed so he could answer Rasmus. “Si señor, my notebook, but I can still write all of my assignments. No problemo señor.” Rasmus replied, “Pedro, we must put our best paws forward to show Coral Bell that we are responsible to take care of our school supplies.”
Pedro cried. Tears dripped over his cheeks. “Rasmus, estoy muy nervous about school. You know when I am nervous I eat. We will have to tell about our summer vacation in front of the whole class. My English is no good enough. What if no one wants to play with me at recess? What if I have to eat lunch all by myself?” Tilly was observing from the window sill. Being a thoughtful parrot, she fluttered over and wrapped her green wings around Pedro to comfort him. Pedro nestled his teary face into Tilly’s tiny chest. The warmth and softness of her feathers was comforting.
Rasmus had to think of a way to encourage his friend. “Pedro, you have special talents. Like Spanish. You can teach your friends Spanish! You can teach us how you played hopscotch when you lived in Peru. Just be yourself and everyone will love you.” Tilly chirped in, “Rasmus is right. Be yourself. You are kind. You always do what is right. You always tell the truth. Your old friends will be glad to see you. It’s your turn to welcome new students and make friends with them. Remember, there is no one else like you, and that is what makes you special.
Guinevere, with her long fur splayed over her eyes, scooted into the conversation. “Pedro, we can tell our summer vacation story together. We can talk about boarding the train in Peapack and the scenic ride to Philadelphia. We can talk about being ambassadors for pet rescue & adoption. You won’t be stuck with the whole report by yourself. Rasmus and I can help. Besides, everyone will be looking at me and my nice furdo, so they won’t be looking at you!”
Guinevere babbled on, “Never mind all that. Look at my glittery pink pencil case. Coral Bell got me a matching lunch box too. It’s just the right size for extra blueberries. Tilly, can you find some pink ribbon for my furdo? I want it to match my school supplies. I bet Coral Bell has some.” Tilly promised she would fly upstairs to the library room and look in Coral Bell’s sewing box. The library was where all sorts of neat things were kept with the books, like playing cards, buttons, fluffy stuff for sewing pillows, and a checkerboard game. Tilly’s bird cage was there too, by the window, with her record player and opera records.
Chapter Two
The first day of school was a sunny morning, but mixed emotions were in the air. Rasmus was very excited to start the new school year; he loved to learn. Rasmus dreams of being a teacher someday. Pedro nervously ate a healthy breakfast, packing in lots of hay, basil, and chamomile. Pedro especially likes the calming effect of chamomile. Meanwhile, Tilly finished styling Guinevere’s furdo on the piano bench just in time.
Thump. Thump thump. Thump, thump, thump.
Rasmus gave the thump signal that it was time to leave. The trio scampered out the screen door with their new packs and lunch boxes. Rasmus led the way down Blueberry Lane. As usual, Guinevere dilly dallied, picking wild blueberries to eat along the way. She was hungry because she missed breakfast. Tilly perched on the porch in a pot of parsley. Her sharp eyes watched them go down the lane, and she realized she would miss them. Tilly said to herself “Oh well, I’ll keep myself busy with the new toy I saved for today.” Even Tilly had mixed feelings about the first day of school, and she was not a student!
Bbbrrring, Bbbrrring, Bbbrrring.
At the chime of the first school bells, the students excitedly rushed to their desks. Rabbits with tall ears were seated in the back. Rasmus liked this because he could keep an eye on Pedro and Guinevere who were seated further toward the front.
During recess, Guinevere invited the new student, Marcelle, to join her friends for jump rope and songs. “G, my name is Guinevere, I live in Greenville, and I sell goats”. B my name is Babs, I live in Barkley, and I sell biscuits. Marcelle’s turn was next. “M, my name is Marcelle, I live in Montreal …… ….. ….. …..
Bumpety bump.
Marcelle bumped into Guinevere. The rhythm of the turning rope was broken, and Guinevere fell. To her horror, her furdo unfurled. It was a calamity. Worse yet, her long fur got tangled around the rope. The jump rope games ended.
Pedro was hunched all alone under a rose bush. He watched the others play. He saw the jump rope accident and dashed to Guinevere’s rescue. “Oh, Pedro, my furdo is a furdon’t now. What shall I do?” Pedro replied, “Señorita, no problema, no problema mi amiga. I will untangle your fur. I know how. I watch Tilly do it a million times.”
“Pedro, get my comb from my pink pencil case. That will help. I don’t want split ends and frizzy fur. Whatever you do, don’t tell Rasmus!” Pedro replied, “Rasmus is playing hide n’ seek. If he is peeking, he will know. I will not lie to Rasmus or anyone else Señorita! Why is your comb in a pencil case? Jeepers, girls make no sense.”
“Ouch, ooh. Ouch,” Guinevere whimpered while Pedro diligently untangled the mess of fur. “Señorita, Rasmus is right. You need a nice short fur. You don’t need a mop on your head. It always causes problems Señorita.” Again, Guinevere wrinkled up her nose in protest. Pedro continued to untangle fur from this way and that way until the rope was free. Just in time for the afternoon class bell.
Bbbrrring, Bbbrrring, Bbbrrring.
Rasmus noticed Guinevere looking topsy turvy, but he decided to concentrate on his lessons.
Guinevere’s friends were so impressed with Pedro’s kindness and his policy of being honest. They were busy whispering behind the teacher’s back and telling the story of Guinevere’s accident. Meanwhile, at Blueberry Lane Herb Farm, Tilly was feeling lonely. She practiced her opera singing in a mirror, but quickly tired of it. It wasn’t the same as having a real friend to play with. So, she decided to fly to school and keep a bird’s eye on things.
“Class, what is so important that you are chattering when I turn around to write on the board? Who will stand up and share the news?” Marcelle shyly raised her paw. Being the new guinea pig in class, most students did not know she had a French accent. “Madame teacher, Mr. Pedro was ever so kind to help Madame Guinevere when she took a tumble playing jump rope. He patiently untangled her fancy fur from the jump rope when it got all tangled up. It would be a privilege to be his friend.” Then Marcelle turned to Pedro and batted her eyes at him. Pedro blushed. Guinevere rolled her eyes.
T H U M P
One big thump from Rasmus and the class knew he disapproved such silliness. He scribbled a reminder on his assignment pad to tell Tilly she must cut Guinevere’s fur. All this fur business is too distracting for such a studious rabbit. The class settled down for their afternoon assignment. It was time for students to give their presentations about summer vacation!
Marcelle was eager to feel a part of the class, so she volunteered to tell her story first. Meanwhile, Pedro was shaking in his seat and secretly nibbled on parsley and Small Pet Select goji berries that were stashed in his red pencil case. Guinevere fretted in her seat over how she looked while Rasmus straightened his tall brown ears to organize his thoughts.
When the teacher called on the trio, Rasmus eagerly hopped to the front of the classroom. Guinevere skulked up and tried to hide behind him. Pedro stuffed a pawful of hay in his cheeks. He turned his face to the window so the teacher would not see him eating in class. To his delight, Tilly was perched on the outside windowsill; she was looking in at him! Tilly tweeted words of encouragement to Pedro in Spanish and English, “Puedes hacerlo, Pedro, you can do it Pedro!” With Tilly’s support, Pedro nudged Guinevere to stand beside Rasmus. He discreetly held her messy fur behind her ears so she would feel more pretty.
Rasmus talked first. He described how they wanted to do a good deed on their vacation. Their purpose was to promote pet adoption. Even though Rasmus was born in the herb garden on the farm, it was an important issue. If Guinevere and Pedro had not been adopted from a shelter, Rasmus would be lonely. He talked about how lonely and sad animals are until they are rescued and have a real home.
Pedro went next. He told the class about their individual jobs to plan the trip. He described how they used their talents make the trip go smoothly. For example, since Rasmus excelled in geography, he was in charge of reading maps and route planning. Pedro was in charge of packing lots of hay and snacks. Guinevere talked about how she learned team work and to stay focused on their goals instead of taking care of her long fur. The classroom boomed with cheers and clapping for their inspiring story.
Tilly was very proud of the trio. She flapped her glistening green wings in excitement. She rapidly flew back to the herb farm to tell Coral Bell all about it. Out of breath, Tilly perched on the edge of the parsley pot, her favorite one on the porch. Coral Bell took a break from weeding the herb garden to listen to Tilly’s tale. She rocked on the porch swing while Tilly tweeted on and on.
She told Coral Bell that Pedro was able to speak up in class because he felt appreciated for his honesty. Coral Bell laughed over Tilly’s description of Guinevere’s jump rope calamity. However, Tilly reminded her that Rasmus is wise. He keeps encouraging Guinevere to not worry about her looks. Tilly pointed out to Coral Bell that this family is a real team on Blueberry Lane Herb Farm. Coral Bell felt very grateful for the relationship her adopted friends have. She realized they take care of each other and love each other. Coral Bell’s heart was satisfied knowing that through adoption, they have become a gift to each other.
Until the next adventure, the end!
(Don’t miss coloring page downloads at the end of chapter two!)
Chapter One and Two - Goodwill Ambassadors
Chapter One
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock sweeps the minute hand on the clock.
Rasmus rabbit nibbles the paper corner off his writing assignment.
Guinevere twirls a pencil in her long white fur. She dreams about being a shorthaired guinea pig. She would spend less time fixing her fur and more time playing.
Pedro taps his paw. He is anxiously waiting to get his English report card. He sneaks a snack of Small Pet Select Timothy hay to calm his nerves. It tastes like the hay he had when he was a baby chinchilla in Peru.
The teacher said, “Rasmus, please read your last poetry assignment to the class.” Rasmus lifted his head up. He turned one tall ear to the side then quickly obeyed the teacher. With a hop to the front of the classroom he proudly read:
One, two, three, four
The number of bags we pack
Small enough to fit on our back
Five, six, seven, eight,
Steps to the train on the iron track
See the coal smoke from the stack
Nine, ten, eleven, twelve
Ambassadors for pets who have no home
Everyone please adopt so they are not alone.
Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong rings the dismissal bell. Cheers roar!! All students, small to tall, rush to wish their friends a happy summer vacation!
Tilly parrot flutters around Blueberry Lane Farm. She is waiting for Guinevere, Pedro, and Rasmus to arrive home with report cards. Coral Bell waits by the garden gate to greet them. She has a surprise for them. It is a basket of fresh picked parsley and romaine. Rasmus hops down the lane with Pedro right beside him. They race to the door excited to eat their afterschool snack. Meanwhile, Guinevere dilly dallies along picking wild blueberries. Then she dilly dallies stuffing blueberries in her pack. Then she dilly dallies to untangle her fur from off the brambles. Then she gets home late. She’s always late!
Using her beak, Tilly snatches everyone’s report cards from their back packs. She flutters upstairs to the library. Proudly she pins them on Coral Bell’s bulletin board. Coral Bell has lots of interesting things on her bulletin board. Tilly sees seed packets, garden notes, and pictures of herbs.
Tilly saw gold star stickers on Rasmus’s report card. Then she saw the grades on Guinevere’s report card were scribbled out. The scribbled ink was a different color than the teacher’s ink. Hmm, Tilly wondered, this was odd. Why was there scribbling?
Tilly perched on her favorite desk chair. It has wheels on it. When she flaps her wings, the chair spins around. Tilly likes to wonder and think about things while the chair spins. She remembered Rasmus won a geography contest in school. That would explain the gold stars, she thought. Then she remembered Guinevere got in trouble for fussing with her long fur in school. Her fur always distracts her. Maybe she turns her work in late. Coral Bell always said “Guinevere, stop playing with your fur, you will make us late again!” Then Tilly would sing “we’re late, we’re late, we’re late for a very important date.”
Now that it’s summer vacation, Tilly wondered if they were going on a trip. She flapped her wings and flew from one end of the bulletin board to the other. Yes! There were travel plans. Four train tickets, a list of addresses, and a schedule were pinned to the board. Coral Bell scheduled the group to visit shelters and be ambassadors for pet adoption. After all, Rasmus, Pedro, Guinevere, and Tilly knew what it was like to be abandoned or lost. They all remembered a lonely life in a shelter. They wanted to give back to the community.
Rasmus is an organized bunny. He planned the first ambassador trip. They had train tickets to go from Peapack to Philadelphia. Rasmus told the others they could travel by boat or hot air balloon on the next trip. It would be more fun that way. And besides, there would be less traffic.
Thump. Thump, thump. Thump, thump, thump. Rasmus called a group meeting. He demanded everyone pay attention. Everyone needs to know the important details. Everyone needs to have their assignments. Rasmus reminded the group he got an “A” in geography, so he assigned himself to handle maps and directions.
“Pedro, you are in charge of packing snacks and hay. Take your time packing. Don’t get nervous. When you get nervous you eat too much. Make sure you pack extra for nervous days.”
“Tilly, you are in charge of our paper stuff: tickets and travel schedules. You are the only one who won’t be tempted to shred them. Don’t worry, I folded the paper stuff very small so it will fit neatly in your little pack.” Tilly flapped in excitement. She loved to have a purpose because it gave her confidence.
Tilly could see further than Rasmus, and she secretly wanted to fight him for the map keeper job. After thinking it over, she decided it was more important to be a team player.
Snoring sounds came from the corner. Oh dear, Guinevere! She fell asleep during the important meeting! Rasmus loudly THUMPED his foot with force. Guinevere awoke in a startle. Sleepy and yawning, she rubbed her dark little eyes and rolled over. She had bed head fur. That’s when chaos broke out.
Tilly cackled in laughter. She flapped her green wings, and flew to her perch to get a better view.
Pedro exclaimed, “oh, señorita, your fur is el messo! eres azul!”
Rasmus ran the bunny-500 around the library then stopped with a quick halt. “Guinevere, your fur is blue. There is a blueberry in your ear! You cannot go on the train with blue fur! Now you will have to stay home. Instead, you can weed the garden for Coral Bell when we go to Philadelphia.”
Tears rolled down Guinevere’s cheeks. She saw her reflection in the window glass. Her long white fur really was blue. There really was a plump blueberry in her ear. Pedro was so nervous, he plucked the blueberry from Guinevere’s ear and ate it.
Tilly flew to the desk chair. She flapped extra hard so the chair would spin for an extra-long time. She needed extra thinking time. All this flapping was hard work for a parrot. Tilly was in a tizzy.
Rasmus thumped again. “Calm down everyone. No need for all the fuss. It’s settled. Guinevere can stay home. Or maybe she can get a wig. Never mind all that, now it’s time for a nap.”
Chapter Two
Tilly knew she must help Guinevere. It was too hot to wear a wig. Besides, where would they get a wig for a guinea pig? And who would carry Guinevere’s pack?
While the boys napped, Tilly got busy. She collected a towel, lavender soap, a tea cup of warm water, and a comb. Then she went to work on Guinevere. Tilly used her beak to gently scrub away the blueberry stains. Soap bubbles floated through the air until the blue faded to gray. Guinevere’s fur smelled fresh and clean, but it had to be combed. This was the real work. Tilly used her beak to untangle the knots and pick out some brambles. Her wet, messy fur looked like a spaghetti factory. Tilly combed until they both fell asleep for the night.
Thump. Thump, thump. Rasmus called an early morning meeting. This one was urgent. No time to prepare. Guinevere stumbled in with her fur still a mess. Tilly explained it was work in progress. She stood up for Guinevere and said, “We were up all night washing and grooming her fur. We’re almost done. If she can’t go on the trip, then I won’t go either.”
Rasmus turned his tall ears left and right, then toward each other. His nose twitched. Tilly hollered, “Rasmus, stop turning your ears. You are not getting any radio signals doing that.” Rasmus thumped in denial.
Pedro was feeling nervous. He ate some basil. Pedro wanted to speak up. Then he ate some thyme. He had to be brave. “Señor, the guinea pig should come. Her fur es mucho better.”
With all this pressure, Rasmus decided Guinevere could go. He made her promise to be on time. He made her promise not to cause a fuss. He made her promise to have her fur ready early. Otherwise, Tilly would sing, “we’re late, we’re late, we’re late for a very important date.”
Pedro wanted to help the petite guinea pig. He gave her wise advice. “Guinevere, it’s time to put others first. You cannot just think about your fur and how pretty you look. It is best not to worry about what others think. Look at me Senorita. My English and Spanish get mixed up all the time. I make mucho grande mistakes, but what matters is that I try. I don’t worry about what others say about my English.”
Guinevere tried to understand Pedro. Her fur is too beautiful not to fuss over she thought. She wondered if it would be better to concentrate on her eyelashes instead. After all, they were much easier to take care of.
The next day when the group met, Guinevere kept her promise. She arrived on time. a pink bow hid her gray fur. Rasmus took attendance and checked back packs. Then they waved good bye to Coral Bell. From Blueberry Lane, they scurried with excitement to the Peapack train station.
Toot. Toot, toot. “All aboard,” the conductor bellowed. The boys hopped up into the train. Guinevere was next. Her little legs were short. She took a running leap on the step. Oops. Ouch. Ow. Her pink bow unfurled and got caught on the train track. “Tilly, Tilly please help me. I cannot get on to the train, and Rasmus will be so mad.”
Toot. Toot, toot. The train signaled for departure. It started to chug forward.
Rasmus thumped, “Guinevere, what are you doing? Where are you? What’s taking so long?”
Guinevere was in a panic. Tilly quickly untied the tangled ribbon with her beak and helped little Guinevere up into the train. “Oh Tilly, how does my fur look? Is there dust on my eyelashes?” Tilly does not like to tell a lie, but it was a mess again. She promised to comb her fur on the long train ride to Philadelphia. There would be plenty of time to fix a pretty pink bow too.
The ambassadors enjoyed a scenic train ride from Peapack. The train rolled over hill and dale until they reached Philadelphia. It was a busy city. No sign of wild blueberries or fresh hay here. Since they were guests of honor, they stayed overnight at each shelter they visited. They had plenty to eat, and shared their Small Pet Select snacks with new friends.
They met bunnies, chinchillas, ferrets, birds, guinea pigs, and other pocket pets in need of homes. They worked hard to promote adoption from shelters. They talked of the importance of adopting old and sick animals. They championed for all who needed a home, a warm bed or bird cage to call their own. They told stories of how it makes a difference to be loved and feel secure. Guinevere even gave lessons on grooming and fur styling.
When they returned to Blueberry Lane Farm, Coral Bell was eager to hear about their trip. As they shared their stories with Coral Bell, they realized they learned new lessons in Philadelphia.
Pedro learned confidence. He could speak in front of strangers and not be nervous.
Rasmus learned to appreciate passion for being brave and speaking up for what is right.
Tilly learned the importance of helping a friend in need and how it made her feel good about herself.
Guinevere learned she is loved for who she is, even if her fur is a mess or her eyelashes are dusty.
They all learned that together they made a difference. They learned that their messages made a difference, and many animals in need will receive the gift of a home to call their own.
The foursome agreed they will have the best summer vacation stories to tell when they return to school.
They were happy to be back home at Blueberry Lane Herb Farm, a place they could call home, happy to be a family, and grateful to enjoy their Small Pet Select meals together.
The end.
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