another of my favorites ....

can't even think enough to put three sentences together so I'll post another favorite ... this was one of my first postings to this blog...

as overheard in the garden

"I'm certain it must be true," the squirrel told the caterpillar. "I heard the frog telling the grasshopper and I've never known the frog to lie."
"But where did the frog hear it?" The caterpillar asked.
"Well," said the squirrel, lowering his voice so as not to be heard by anyone else around. "If I'm not mistaken the frog heard it from the ladybug."
"Hmmmm. the ladybug, I suppose I'll just have to check this out for myself," the caterpillar replied and scurried off on her stubby little legs.
"Is it true?" the caterpillar asked breathlessly as she rounded the corner of the azaeleas and practically ran over the ladybug. "Did you tell frog ..."
"Hush," said the ladybug looking around to see if anyone was close enough to hear. "No one is supposed to know. I only told the frog because he swore he wouldn't tell anyone else. Where did you hear it?""Squirrel told me. But I haven't told anyone else if that's what you're worried about. Is it true?"
"Well," said the ladybug opening and closing her wings nervously. "The mocking bird told me. She always seems to be in the know about everything. She insisted it was true and that she'd heard it almost firsthand as she heard the lizard behind the wall telling the rabbit. And the lizard said that he had heard it from the ant who'd heard it from the bumble bee."
"The bumble bee?" asked the caterpillar incredulously. "And how, pray tell did the bumble bee find out."
"I'm not certain," answered the ladybug. "You'll have to ask the bumble bee yourself. Last time I saw her she was in the daffodils"
"Well I want to know if its true so I guess that's what I'll have to do. Thanks for your help." But the ladybug had already flown off.The caterpillar scurried across the garden. As she did she heard bits and pieces of conversations amongst all the creatures in the garden. Clearly this was no secret as everyone - EVERYONE - seemed to be talking about it.
Finally she did indeed find the bumblebee in the daffodil's and it took a moment to get his attention. "Helllllooooo! Hellllooooo! I say can you hear me bumble bee?"The bumblebee stopped what he was doing and buzzed over to the caterpillar.
"Hello caterpillar. What can I do for you?" Bumblebee asked.
"Is it true? Its all over the garden you know? I just want to know. Is it true?" The caterpillar asked.
"It is true indeed. I heard it straight from the butterfly."
"The butterfly?" now caterpillar was more than a little exasperated. Butterfly was not usually known for getting her facts straight as she was always flitting from one thing to the next.
"Oh yes!" said the bumblebee excitedly which just made it harder to hear because when he got excited the buzzing got so much louder. "The butterfly told me herself that she was minding her own business over by the honeysuckle, when the boy came to her and whispered that she must go to the girl and give her a kiss and tell the girl that the boy was truly in love with her."
"Oh my goodness." Caterpillar said hopping from one foot to another foot to another foot to another foot. "So it is really true, you're quite certain?"
"Yes. But the very best part," whispered the bumblebee, which of course could barely be heard over the buzzing and the caterpillar had to strain very hard to hear it. "The very best part, is that the girl loves the boy truly too."