A day with the Brightfields

Dear Readers,

finally it's time for a new story. Enjoy!

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It was a hot summer night in Marigold Creek. The crickets were singing and a soft wind blew through the open windows of the Brightfield's home.
Petunia couldn't sleep anymore. It was too hot for her, so she decided to get up very early.

Silently she left the house and walked into the families garden.

Outside it was a little bit more comfortable. While the wind blow through Petunias soft fur, she grabbed the novel, she was reading at the moment. It was a very exciting adventure book and she enjoyed it a lot.

Petunia had just read for about an hour, when suddenly Lavender, the eldest daughter of the Brightfield's appeared.
"Hi, mommy.", she said.
"Hello, my dear. Can't you sleep?"
"No, it was too hot inside....", Lavender laughed, "And dad is snorring sooo loud, that he could be heard in whole Marigold Creek!"

Her mother grinned, "Your dad really isn't a quiet sleeper."
Lavender took a seat near her mum, "He is! I wonder how Maple can sleep."
"She's a little child and has a deeper sleep.", explained Petunia softly, "When you were 2 years old, you also slept like a stone."
"Really? I can't remember...", Lavender pondered, "But maybe it's just too long ago."

Lavender and Petunia talked together until it was time for the other family members to get up. 
While Lavender started to prepare breakfast together with her mother...

... little Maple, who was awake soon, tried to wake up her daddy.
She jumped on the bed and tickled his nose, "Wake up, daddy! It's morning! And mommy has cookies!"
Drowsy Cypruss opened his eyes, "Hello, my little flower!"
"The cookies are waiting for us! You must get up!", Maple was really excited.
The little goat loved cookies very much, but she also knew that the family always ate together... So it was clear, that her dad had to get up, that Maple could get a cookie.

Cypruss crawled out of the bed and yawned loudly, before he started to shake the cushions.
"I will help you!", decided Maple and took a big pink cushion.

Finally the bed was done and Maple could enjoy her cookies.

After the breakfast Cypruss got himself his guitar and played a few songs. His family sang with him - it was part of their morning routine. After singing together everyone was good mooded and ready for the day.

Because it was already time to go into school and nursery, Lavender and Maple said goodbye to her father.

Cypruss hugged the two girls tightly.

"See you later, my little flowers!", he waved after his "three ladies", how he called his wife and daughters.

While Petunia accompanied her girls into school, Cypruss wondered where to start the day. He had two appoinments today - one at the Tuxedo's house and one at the Petite's. But until those appoinments he still had two hours time.

Cypruss decided to cut the grass. He began in the garden.

Then moved towards to the front of the house.

After cutting the grass, he raked under the flowers.

Meanwhile Petunia, Lavender and Maple arrived at the school and nursery.

Lots of pupils were already there and got watched by Mrs. Hunter-Smith.
"Lavender!", two girls yelled loudly, "Good that you're here, we MUST tell you something!"

Excited Lavender run to her two best friends Greta von Stachel and Sayuri Bamboo. Immediatly they started to chat.

Petunia said goodbye to her oldest daughter, before she and Maple walked into the nursery.

"Good morning, Maple!", greeted Katie Hawthorne with a bright smile on her face.
"Morning, Katie!", Maple answered.
"Morning, Maple!", the other children yelled loudly. 

Fastly Maple said goodbye to her mum and run to Melanie, a close friend of her. Immediately the two girls started to giggle.

"What are you up to this morning?", Katie asked Petunia.
The goat ladie smiled, "I wanted to bring some sunflowers to the Löffel's bakery. Hopefully my husband have adjusted the pot."
"Oh good that you said that, I wanted to ask, if I can get some sunflowers for our house."
Petunia nodded, "Of course. I can bring them to you tomorrow, if that is okay?"
"Thank you so much, that would be perfect. You know, I love sunflowers so much and they're missing in the garden."
Delighted Petunia said: "They are. And I'm sure they will fit perfectly into your garden."

At the same time in the Brightfield's garden Cypruss just
weeded under the flowers. The birds were singing, while the shadow of the tree provided Cypruss from the strong sun.

After weeding, Cypruss moved on.
At that moment Petunia returned.
"I'm back, darling!", she said.

"Everything went fine?", Cypruss asked.

"Of course.", she smiled, then flattened her skirt, "Do you have the flower pot for the Löffels?"

"Yep - one moment, I get it for you."
Crooning something to himself Cypruss walked behind the house...

...and returned with the flower pot.
"Aw, thank you, my dear!", Petunia said, "Flora will be so happy to get the flowers. They're very pretty."
"I hope so.", Cypruss laughed, "Will you accompany me a little bit to the village?"
"Of course."

Together the pair walked down in the village center; Cypruss carried all his tools on the wheelbarrow.

There were already a few villagers outside, but all in all it was a quiet morning.

Cypruss and Petunia said goodbye infront of the village bakery.

Immediately Petunia walked to Flora Löffel, "Good morning, Flora. I have the flowers you've ordered."

Pleased the rabbit cheered, "They look fantastic! Thank you!"
She took the sunflowers and placed them near the counter window.

"Don't they fit perfectly? I'm so glad we got them from you. It makes the bakery much more inviting!", Flora said, "We should get more flowers."
"Of course, just tell me, which you need.", Petunia agreed.

At this moment a duck lady came out of the bakery's door and looked around.

"Did I just hear something about flowers?", she asked.
"Yes, we talked about the great sunflowers, Mrs. Brightfield brought us. She and her husband own a garden and flower shop."
"Fantastic! Then you are the person I'm searching for!", excited the dug flapped her wings, "May I talk to you?"
"Of course.", Petunia laughed, "I wanted to buy some prezels for the children. If you don't mind, we can talk in the bakery?"

While Hans Löffel served the prezels, the duck started to chat.
"I'm Jemima Puddleford - me and my family just moved to Marigold Creek and we are planning to open a daycare center. Because we own a little garden I thought it would be nice to have some pretty flowers. But then my husband Ernest - that's his name - said "Jemima, what about toxic flowers? We have to take care of children!" And I realized he is right. We don't know anything about toxic or non- toxic flowers, beside fly agarics. But they are mushrooms, so no flowers...", she paused, "I'm talking to much, I'm so sorry. It's just that I'm so excited to meet a real gardener!"

Jemima Puddleford blushed, "I hope you don't mind my twitter. Sometimes I behave like my mother - she was talking without taking a break. I fear my children will be the same... Beside Quiek, she's more silent." The red on her face turned darker, "Oh my, I'm talking again to much! What I wanted to ask you... Can you help us with the right plants for our garden? We don't want to poison the children."

Petunia started to giggle. She liked the lively duck lady immediately.
"Don't worry at all. Of course we will help you! My husband is an expert in toxic plants and we also have two children, so you will be in good hands."
Assuaged Jemima breathed out, "I'm so glad! You will help us a lot!"

While Jemima and Petunia talked about an appoinment, Cypruss arrived at the Tuxedos house.

Natalie opened the door, "Good morning, Cypruss!"

"Morning, Natalie. I'm a bit early, I hope you don't mind?"

"Not at all, I'm glad you're here.. The flower bed looks horrible, some of the plants seem to be ill. And I just don't know what I've done wrong..."

"I'm sure we can rescue the flowers.", Cypruss said with a calming voice.
Natalie nodded, "If someone can rescue them, then it's you!"

The goat man stepped into the garden and inspired the plants. Soon it was clear: Dung was missing and lots of the weeds ad stolen the water from the flowers.
Cypruss raked the ground.

Then he weeded.

At this moment a little kitten appeared. "Hello.", she said with a clear voice, "Are you helping our flowers?"
"Oh, hello little lady! Yes, I am. The bad weed must be removed."
Appreciative Angelica Tuxedo nodded, "May I help you?"
"Of course, but we must be careful not to harm the flowers."

Angelica had much fun weeding with Cypruss. He made lots of jokes and told her the story of the flower queen.

But suddenly Natalie detected her daughter.
"Angelica! What are you doing here? I told you not to disturb Mr. Brightfield!"
Cypruss softly shook his head, "She wasn't disturbing me. The young lady is helping me. With her help I'm almost finished!"

"Oh my!  I feared that she might imposed on you."
"No, not at all.", he laughed, "She behaved very well!"
Angelica looked in the pond, "I always behave well, mommy. I'm not like Moony..."
"Yes...", Natalie blushed, "Sorry, my dear."

Cypruss soon was finished and fertilized the flowers with an healthy and non toxic dung.
He needed to say goodbye to the Tuxedos, because his next customer was already waiting for him.

Petunia Brightfield meanwhile returned to their house, inspired the new tullips...

... and then started to cook.

Pete Petite fastly opened the house door, "Cypruss! I'm so glad you're here. You must look at this monster!"

"Monster?", irritated Cypruss followed the bear into the house.

"This monster of hedge!", Pete pointed at a huge green hedge infront of their terrace, "It grew so fast! We could almost watch it!"

"Wow! That's a huge hedge!", Cypruss was a bit shocked, "We must cut it, otherwise it will grow into your house!"

Cypruss took a closer look at the "monster".
"My oh my...", he murmured, "I've never seen such a fast growing hedge! It looks like it would have been watered with super fertilizer!"

"I swear that neither me nor my wife watered or fertilized this thing!", Pete scratched his head.
Cypruss laughed, "I know, it's just so... so mysterious!"

Pete and his daughter Victoria walked outside and watched Cypruss, who prepared his saw.
"Maybe it's a special fast growing plant...", the bear thought loudly.
"It must be something like that!", the gardener wondered, "I've never seen this before!"

Cypruss began his work with a motivated attitude... Which didn't last too long.
Soon he cursed that silly monster hedge... "Maybe it was such a magic hedge like in fairy tale of the sleeping beauty?", he thought. 

Only after hours he could see an end.

Finally finished and totally exhausted, Cypruss let all his tools fall on the bottom. "It's done!", he jubilated.

Grateful Pete served Cypruss some coffee.
"I'm so sorry, that it was so much hard work. But I didn't know what to do..."
Cypruss waved aside, "Please, you don't have to excuse. It's my job to take care of such problems. But I've taken some parts of the hedge with me - I want to find out what it is."
Pete grinned, "Maybe it was Cassandra Maces, who cursed the hedge!" 
Cypruss laughed, "Is that the witch everyone is talking about?"
"Yes...", Pete answered, "Well, she's no real witch I think. She owns a nice pharmacy in the forest. But someone said she has also some love or mysterious potions. That's why we are joking around."
"I see. That's really interesting. I need to visit her one day!"

Cypruss enjoyed the talk with Pete. The postman was a nice person.

After the coffee Cypruss said goodbye and walked home.
When he arrived all his family was already gathered outside. Lavender made some homework, while she and Maple enjoyed some lemonade.

"Welcome back!", Petunia gave her husband a big kiss, "We've missed you."
"I missed you too."
Petunia hugged him, "You look so exhausted. Was it hard?"

"Oh yes! It was incredible hard!", Cypruss laughed, "No, but something weird has happened at the Petites house. A huuuuuge monster hedge has grown there."
"A monster hedge?",  asked Lavender, while Maple pulled her father into the kitchen.
"Yes, it was suddenly....", Cypruss began telling his family about his day, while he followed them inside.

Although it was tough day, Cypruss was totally pleased.

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Phew that was longer then I planned :D. 
During the picture taking phase I had huge problems with the weather. One day it was too dark - on this day I took the night photos, the other day it rained (no photos) and on the last day it was too sunny, so some of the pictures are a bit too bright... Hope you don't mind!

Read you soon,
yours Kyra