Winter Tea Party

Here is Hugo Owl waiting for his scones

Last weekend the mice Mortimer, Annicke, Simon, and Catalina had a Winter Tea Party for their friends. They wanted to avoid the cold ground, and fortunately Hugo Owl had offered his house, high in the top of the tree.

The mice, being mice, were a little nervous to visit Hugo Owl by themselves. Just to be on the safe side, Mortimer asked Owen Fox to come with them. Owen had indigestion so he preferred to prop himself on a branch nearby and read while he kept watch. The mice busied themselves preparing a fire, bringing blankets and warm stones into the hole to keep paws warm, and setting the table. Well, Annicke was supposed to help but as she was rummaging through blankets she found her dolls Alice and Sophie from when she was a baby and got distracted setting up a separate tiny tea party for them.

When the other animals arrived, everything was ready. Smoke was curling from Hugo's little chimney, and Ella Toad commented on how toasty it was inside the hole. Frogs particularly hate the cold, you see, because they get embarrassing goose bumps. Flora Fox was really impressed with the walnut tea cups that the mice had served peppermint tea in.

With all the animals inside Hugo's house, Hugo himself didn't fit! He sat outside on his branch, watching the wintry sunset. But soon enough, the animals brought him a plate of biscuits and tea. Hugo was ecstatic! He loved the ginger cranberry scones, and he was so full that he had no room left to even think of mice anymore. When the stars came out and the little animals started yawning, Hugo flew each one home, and waited until each was safely inside and tucked into bed before going back to finish the scones.