Penny’s Very Important End-of-Summer List

❧ Barnaby says I only need to do three of these before autumn arrives. I think Barnaby is underestimating August. ❧

Have you noticed that August behaves rather strangely? One moment it’s making lemonade and chasing butterflies…

…and the next it’s whispering things about sharpened pencils and the first day of school.

I don’t think that’s fair at all.

Summer shouldn’t disappear without saying goodbye.

It has worked terribly hard.

So, I’ve decided to make a Very Important List of things I’d still like to do before autumn arrives.

You’re very welcome to join me.

In fact…

I hope you do.

1. Find one feather that looks important.

❦

❧ Not every feather is important. Some are perfectly ordinary. The important ones make you wonder where they’ve been. ❧

Pip says feathers fall off whenever a bird has an especially wonderful day.

I hope that’s true.

2. Eat blackberries until somebody says, “Oh my goodness… look at your face!”

❦

❧ That usually means you’ve done it properly. Purple fingers are also considered a tremendous success. ❧

Barnaby insists napkins exist for a reason.

Luckily, nobody listens.

3. Introduce yourself to a snail.

❦

❧ You never know. It might be having a particularly interesting morning. Good manners are important. Especially with snails. ❧

They don’t get nearly enough visitors.

4. Discover which tree gives the best shade.

❦

❧ Trees are surprisingly competitive about this. The old chestnut near Café des Rêves thinks it wins every year. ❧

I secretly prefer the old Oak tree in Lulu’s garden. But don’t tell anyone.

5. Collect five things that belong in a Tiny Museum of Wonderful Things.

❦

Mine usually contains:

a feather,

a smooth pebble,

an acorn cap,

a shell,

and something Barnaby insists is “just a stick.”

He says that every time. He’s wrong about that too.

6. Eat lunch somewhere that definitely isn’t a table.

❦

A blanket counts.

A tree stump counts.

A garden wall counts.

An upside-down boat counts if you happen to have one nearby. The important thing is that sandwiches taste much better outdoors.

Scientists haven’t explained this yet.

7. Draw the most magnificent cloud you can find… before it changes its mind.

❦

❧ Clouds are wonderfully indecisive. Yesterday I saw a rabbit become a teapot.❧

Lulu claimed it was obviously a dragon. We agreed to disagree.

“The world is always hiding something lovely.

You simply have to remember to look.”

8. Leave a tiny surprise for somebody.

❦

❧ A little posy of flowers.

❧ A painted pebble.

❧ A drawing tucked inside a library book.

❧ Or a biscuit.

Barnaby would like me to mention that biscuits should never be left where seagulls can find them.

Apparently he has some experience.

9. Find one thing you’ve never noticed before.

❦

❧ Even if you’ve walked the same path a hundred times. Yesterday I discovered a tiny heart-shaped stone. ❧

The day before that I noticed the baker whistles while kneading bread.

The world is always hiding something lovely.

You simply have to remember to look.

10. Say goodbye to summer properly.

❦

❧Wave.

❧ Curtsy.

❧ Tip your hat.

❧ Thank the butterflies.

❧ Thank the bees.

❧ Thank the blackberries.

❧ Thank the warm evenings that made everyone stay outside just a little longer.

Every season deserves good manners before the next one arrives. I think that’s only polite.

Now then…

I really ought to go.

Pip says he’s discovered a feather of exceptional importance. And if Pip says a feather is important…

it’s almost certainly worth investigating.

Will you help me finish my list?

Tell me which one you’ll do first.

I’d love to know.

♡

Penny & Lulu