Cow Island

'What lovely blossom,' said Norma. 'It's what we trees are all about at this time of year,' replied Annie. 'And you've got a nest!' 'Geraldine made it for me out of some old hoof mittens.' 'And you've added a bird box.' 'Fish box,' Annie corrected. 'Hmm,' mused Norma, 'I'm not sure a fish would be able to get up there?' 'That's why I added the ladder,' mooed Annie. 'You seem to have thought of everything.' 'Ta!' said Annie and she did a little dance.* 'So,' Norma continued, 'I do so hope you're coming on holiday?' Annie thought for a while.......................................a long while actually......until Norma was forced to prod her with a knitting needle. 'Are trees allowed to take holidays?' 'I know of no law which stops them,' Norma replied, '...and Cyril will be going.' 'Ooooooooooooooooooooo...

'I knew you'd find her,' said Norma. 'Pleasure,' replied Cyril. 'So,' asked Norma, 'be honest, what do you think of my plan?' Annie bounced around for a while so that she good could have a really good think AND a thunk. 'What was the question again?' she asked. 'The plan,' replied Norma. 'What do you think of my plan to catch the pirate sheep?' 'There are pirate sheep!?!' mooed Annie. 'Yes!' replied Norma. 'Please concentrate.' Annie stopped bouncing and lent over on the spring until she was just in front of Norma. 'It's splendiferous!' she said and she kissed Norma on the nose. 'It is rather too sensible in places and it doesn't seem to involve knitting but we can work on it.' Norma smiled. 'And you've completely mastered directionableness? I have rather been relying on the fact that you would have.' Annie did a back flip and forward flip an...

'It looks far too much like exercise to me!' said Cyril. 'Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!' called out Annie, as she bounced past. 'It's fun! And it's not too difficult once you've got bouncing! Actually, I am beginning to suspect, that now I'm underway, things could go on indefinitely.'  'You could never do it with a full glass of wine.'  'Hmmmmmmmm?' replied Annie, as she bounced back again. 'Possibly you could get away with using a very long straw. I would have a hard think thunk about it, but I'm afraid my brain is extra wobbly at the moment.' 'I doubt it'll harm you?' said Cyril. 'There are moments when it seems a positive help!' mooed Annie. 'Excellent!' said Cyril. 'I shall look forward to the results.' 'I'll let you have a look inside my ears later on,' replied Annie, 'and you can let me know what you see.' 'Terrific!' said Cyril. ...

'And then she said, 'find Norman and move as fast as you possibly can','. 'And so you tied yourself to a giant spring?' trumpeted Norman. Annie nodded, the giant spring wobbled and she bounced high into the air. ' Yes! ' she said, from very far up. ' I knew you'd work it out!' 'Well, you certainly are moving quickly,' Norman replied. 'Although I'm not sure that it's in the was Norma envisaged?' 'She didn't specify what type of fast ,' mooed Annie. And she bounced particularly high and threw in a forward roll for extra excitement...and her hat...stayed on! 'Nicely done!' said Norman. ' Ta! ' replied Annie. ' I think this is what it must feel like to be a huge spoonful of trifle .' 'You are achieving a remarkably high degree of wobbliness,' said Norman. 'But I do think that perhaps we should be getting on?' ' Okeemadoklies! ' repl...

Flossie stood, stood quietly, the early morning sun caressing and warming his soft white fleece. He sighed, closed his one good eye and drew a long, deep breath. A tiny black and yellow body buzzed about him, landed on his ear and preened and worked the pollen that hung from its velvet legs. Time drifted. He opened his eye again and gazed around him. The grass, strewn with diamond droplets, twinkled and shone. All was peace. Life was good. 'At last!' he bleated. '................Pastures new! 'Where?' asked Lefty. 'Here,' said Flossie. 'I thought they looked rather old,' replied Lefty. 'No, no I was speaking metaphorically,' said Flossie. 'Oh right!' replied Lefty. And once more Flossie closed his eye and breathed deeply. But the moment had passed and he simply got pollen up his nose which made him sneeze and the bee stung his ear. 'Right,' said Flossie, 'suppose we'd better get on with something?...