Pip & The Camillias

Once upon a time....

I went searching for lovely flowers in the dead of winter.......

I needed a guide for my journey and so I sought after a friendly woodland creature to assist me in my quest. After searching for quite some time, I spied a frisky little squirrel.
"Yoooooo Hooooo!!! Mr Squirrel!!! May I have a word with you?"

"May I offer you some tempting acorns to guide me in my quest to find lovely winter flowers?"

"Pshaw!!" He snorted! "There are nuts all over the place around here! And there are even some acorns on the ground in this forest. And my name, if you must know, is Pip! Mr. Pip to you!! You have not exerted any effort to gain my favor! I really must be on my way! The Superbowl is almost about to start and I need to prepare a seven layered bean dip and pick up a 12 pack of Diet Pepsi before I head over to Raccoons party"


Pip turned to leave and go about his appetizer-making task. I felt my heart sink... What could I do? What had I to offer him? I searched through my rucksack....... a tic tac...... a roll of film..... mapquest directions for how to get home..... some midol..... a couple of digital cameras that only a rocket scientist could get a decent picture out of...... what to do... what to do...... AHA!!!


"Mr Pip... might you be willing to show me the way to the path of Winter Blooming Camellias for, say..... a yummy Starbucks walnut and zucchini muffin?"

"Starbucks muffin, you say? Fresh, is it? Hmmmm a much better offering than stale forest acorns! I do love me some Starbucks pastry items!!! Perhaps I can be of assistance then. Perchance have you a Carmel Macciano with an extra shot of espresso and whipped cream to go with?"
Delicately I broke the news to Pip "No, so sorry am I but I have no fresh caffeinated beverages to offer you today.... would you take a $5.00 gift card to use on your next trip instead?"
Reluctantly Pip agreed to show me the way in spite of the lack of coffee to wash down the muffin. Clearly he was not in need of any extra caffeine because he ran straight up the nearest tree!!
Only to continue to run around and around in a circle speaking gibberish. Or possibly that is just how squirrels talk.
Or possibly I had one two many caffeinated beverages myself......
Either way.... eventually he pointed me in the right direction and ran off to the local Walmart Supercenter for that Diet Pepsi.
And this is what I found........

Thank you, Mr. Pip...........

Wherever you are.............