Hurricane!

A Scary Tale... Part One

A Hurricane is coming, Dear Readers! What? ANOTHER One, you ask? As incredible as it sounds, we are forecast to be in the path of this Monster storm only a little over one year after Hurricane Irene struck this region! This is a Very Unusual Thing in this part of the World.... so we are much less familiar with What To Do to Prepare! The forecast says the Huge storm will come ashore TODAY just south of New York City and curve Eastward through New England taking several Days to exit the region! And because it is so large a storm, the winds and the rains will be felt in Southern New England well before "Sandy" makes landfall. We have our water, our flashlights, our batteries, our pre-cooked food.... we have pulled down the Storm windows and moved the garden furniture inside. What more can one do while waiting for the Tempest to arrive?  Well...... funny you should ask..... !
Because I have been told that the Little people are stirring.... they have no idea there is a Storm approaching! In fact Agatha and Hazel have been enjoying the last warm afternoon of Autumn sitting in the Front Garden. The leaves have all fallen rather suddenly this year... so there is still a lot of tidying up to do. But for now they are resting and enjoying the fresh air.

Their Owls have joined them and are hooting quietly to one another in the tree branches.....

They can sense the change in the weather ..... 

and they are getting a little restless.....

Hazel is thinking it might be time to put the Garden Fountain away for the winter...

But really, she doesn't feel like working this afternoon.... 

Such a Wonderfully Gloomy Fall Afternoon...

Meanwhile, Tommy and Caroline and Beatrice have been out for an afternoon walk!

They might have walked farther than usual.... 

and maybe they are getting tired and aren't Entirely sure Where they are.....

They can see a Cottage up ahead and decide to ask for directions....

Tommy is about to approach when he sees something Unexpected....

At first he is not sure what he sees.....

But then he gasps.....

And says "Run... we better get away from here....!"

He and Caroline run as fast as they can away from the Cottage... 

but Beatrice was not paying attention...

She thought she saw some
Nice little old Ladies by the Cottage....

She crept closer to say Hello.....

But suddenly she wasn't Entirely Sure how nice they were......

Hazel was going to offer her some Treats....

But Beatrice has listened to her Fairy Tales....

She knows it isn't a good idea to take Sweets from Strange Old Ladies....

 She suddenly wasn't sure she was feeling all that well.... 

so she shook her head  and said "No thank you"......

and turned to follow Tommy and Caroline....

But they were nowhere in sight!!!

Meanwhile Tommy and Caroline have stumbled up to the doors of the Castle..... 

and realized that Beatrice did not keep up with them!

Caroline is surprised to see anyone in the Old Ruins....

But Tommy remembers Guard Ian and asks him to help them find Beatrice....

But Night Falls Early and Fast at this time of year......

After wandering around what seemed like Forever, Beatrice sits down to rest 

at the roots of a Very Large Old Tree......

But then she thought she could see a small light shining from within the Tree....

And was that a Tiny Door....?

And Should she go IN where it looked so warm and inviting and SAFE?

Why it Looked like a Tiny House!!!

So she climbed in.... Really she Squeezed in.......

She wondered Who lived in this tiny house....

But she was so tired..... and it was warm and cozy inside...

She leaned back against the Tree Roots and Fell asleep.....

But Meanwhile.... back at the Castle, Old Meg has left her Corner by the Hearth....

She can Feel the Trouble in her Bones......

For the Second Time in TWO Years a Storm of Epic Proportions is Coming....

And the Children are Lost between the Worlds......

THIS Time she feels she Might have to Interfere......

To Be Continued.....

Weather Permitting......

Hurricane!