Donnacha Searches for a friend. . .

Donnacha went looking for a friend; at first, he rode around on the tractor...but soon he thought going on foot would be better because the "pop" "pop" of the tractor was frightening all the wood critters.

This is really the end of Dom's search for a friend. It all began when. . .

"Dom" found a friend, but it was not easy! He found a friend dressed in the same colors as himself; and, yes the new friend is a gnome and not a Lep ~ but they are distant cousins ~ I think! Mom and DH had been visiting with relatives, making new friends; and, while Dom enjoyed all the photo sessions ~ he, too, wanted to meet a Lep, a gnome or even an elf! He visited Bear, but the bear was looking at his ladybug friend which had landed on his nose. This made Bear cross eyed ~ and cross indeed!

Dom climbed as high as he could to reach a duck in a pond ~ but Duck was not talking.

He searched through the many flowers Cousin Trudy has growing in her yard. She is a Master Gardner and there were A LOT of flowers and critters...He even asked squirrels because they are busy and in every part of the flower and vegetable gardens, but he found the squirrels were really quite ignorant of friends for a Lep.

Dom tried befriending the geese, but the Momma Goose came after him ~ hissing, "get away from my goslings"

Then he came to pigs drinking at the pond...but being pigs they slurped and slurped and did not talk at all! They oinked in his general direction. Sadly, he pressed on. . . would he never find a friend of his own?

Dom saw Owl and climbed up and up...Owl was wise. Owl would know where he could find a friend. "Go past the potted pansies" and turn left and there you will find a Gnome who is dressed in gold and green, wearing a red hat and red shoes ~ just like yours. He will be your friend".

And so, Dom followed Owl's wise counsel. He traveled past the potted pansies, turned left and there he was ~ the Gnome! Sitting by the mushrooms. Gnome and Dom spent the afternoon chatting and Dom learned all about Big Bear. And he learned that he was going to get to go to fireworks, right at the lakeside on the Fourth of July! Gnome could not go, he had to tend to the mushrooms, but Dom's person would take him to the big party on the deck. Donnacha was tired from all that climbing and trekking; he and Gnome had a nice nap under the mushrooms in the afternoon sunshine. Dom dreamt of a hissing goose and FIREWORKS over Big Bear lake.