Gus and Trudy HelpWith Spring Cleaning

Gus and Trudy had noticed that the days were getting warmer. They heard the birds chirping and saw the squirrels scurrying all over. They both knew what that meant. Spring had finally come to the little garden on Bloomfield Avenue.
Gus and Trudy also knew that this meant that a great deal of cleaning was going to happen. After all, there had been hurricanes, nor'easters, snow, sleet, rain, and lots and lots of wind this past winter. Things were looking a little run down in the garden.
"What do you think we should do first?" Trudy hooted to Gus early one morning.
Since it was early in the morning Gus just snorted at her, "Hrumph!"
"I don't think that is the answer I am looking for Gus. It is Spring and we need to help clean up our garden."
Gus rolled out of bed. He knew that Trudy spoke the truth. The garden was a huge mess. There were twigs and branches all over the place. Even though it was early spring, the weeds had begun to take over the garden beds. The grass in between the beds was starting to get tall. Things certainly did look afright.
"Let's get started with the twigs and branches today", Gus finally decided.
All day Gus and Trudy picked up all the twigs and branches that were laying about in the garden. They took a very short break for lunch and kept working until it was too dark to work anymore.
Gus took a long, hot bath and put his most comfortable gnome pajamas on. Trudy cleaned and cleaned her feathers until they were shiny and soft. They had a wonderful dinner of tea and toast with marmalade. They talked long into the night about their plans for the garden this summer.
Finally, when they were both so tired they couldn't keep their eyes open, they said good night. Gus climbed into his cozy bed and Trudy flew up into her soft nest in the rafters of the house.
And everything was dark and quiet and peaceful in the little garden on Bloomfield Avenue.

Gus and Trudy Want To Go To School

"Wouldn't it be interesting to go to school with Elaine one day?"
Gus turned around and looked at Trudy. He thought he had heard her correctly, but he wasn't quite sure.
"Wouldn't it be interesting to go to school with Elaine?" Trudy repeated.
Now Gus knew he had heard Trudy. Gus had wanted to take a trip into school to visit the gnomes that stayed in Elaine's classroom, but Trudy had lays been a little afraid to go.
"Gus, are you listening to me?" Trudy hooted.
"I am listening to you Trudy, I just can't believe what you're saying!"
Trudy hooted at Gus. She knew that he would be surprised to hear her suggest visiting the school. She usually did not like to leave the orderly garden on Bloomfield Avenue, but she flt that she needed to try one thing new. She knew that Elaine would take care of her and Gus and she just felt that it was time to visit the kids.
"Well Gus, I think you should let Elaine know that we would like to visit. You need to ak her hat day would be the best for her."
Gus was so happy he could hardly contain himself. He had not seen the classroom gnomes since the summer and he really wnted o catch up on the gnome gossip with them.
Gus couldn't wait to make plans to visit the school.

Gus and Trudy Spend Easter With The Pixies

Gus and Trudy usually saved Easter morning to share with the Easter Bunny. Usually EB was so tired from his all night basket delivering that he needed some resting time with Gus and Trudy. This year was different. This year EB was going directly home after his basket delivering. Gus and Trudy were, as ever, very polite and never questioned why. They just extended the invitation for next year. EB readily accepted.
However, this left Gus and Trudy at a loss as to what to do Easter morning. Gus voted for staying extra long in bed. But, then again, Gus always wanted to stay exa long in bed.
Trudy felt that they should offer a cheery breakfast to some poor souls who never were invited anywhere.
Even before she had hooted out the words, Gus was stomping his foot and yelling,"There's a reason why they are not invited anywhere....they are pesky!"
Trudy looked down her sharp beak at Gus. "If creatures were invited places only on the basis of their pleasantness, I would say that you would be home a great deal."
Gus thought about it for a minute. When Trudy was right, he was right.
So the plans were made and the Pixies were invited over for Easter morning. Gus was on the watch for the start of any pixie wildness. If you let them start their wildness it gets out of hand, he thought darkly.
Trudy was the perfect hostess. She kept the pixies in line and they all had a very pleasant morning. When the breakfast was done and all the dishes washed and out away and the last pixie was out the front door, Gus breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Finally, all was calm and quiet in TE little garden on Bloomfield Avenue.

Spring Again 2013

"Gus! Gus! This is going to be the best spring ever!" Poor Gus rolled over and looked out the top window of the Winter Burrow. It looked like Spring had come again to Bloomfield Avenue. But why was trudy making all of that racket? "Gus, did you hear me? This is going to be the best spring. Ever." "I did hear you Trudy. I heard you the first, second, and third times that you called my name." "But Gus, if you heard me then why aren't ou getting up and getting dresses? Didn't you hear me say that this was going. to. be. the. best spring. ever.?" Trusy said each word very carefully. Gus just snuggled further under the covers. It might be spring on the calendar, but it was not spring to Gus until the sun shined for an entire day and the temperature eas above 50 degrees. "I heard everyoone in the house talking about redoing the garden this spring. I think that is why this is going to be the best Spring ever," Trudy hooted," new dirt for the beds, a new fence with proper gates, and pea gravel to cover all the crab grass. And Gus, a new house for us!" All of a sudden in a whirl and a flash, Gus was up and unning around the house in a very ungnome like fashion. He was muttering about his encils and paper and drawing up plans or the new house. Gus had wanted a new house for such a very long time. Trudy stopped in front of Gus," Sit down Gus. I will bring you your things, and a hot cup of tea." Gus sat in his thinking spot and lit his candle. True to her word, Trudy brought him his drawing materials, a big cup of hot tea, and a hot biscuit. Gus thanked her and began to work on his plans. Trudy nestled on her perch and hooted. This was going to be the best spring. Ever.

Gus Talks to the Birds

It was a sunny spring day and Gus knew exactly what he wanted to do. He had not spent anytime checking to see if all the birds had returned from their winter away. Usually in the very early spring Gus would go around to all the nests and make sure that all his bird friends had made the trip back from the south ok. Gus had been so busy watching Trudy think that he hadn't had the chance to check all the nests. But this morning when Gus woke up, Trudy had left a little ladder for him to climb out of the nest. She had also left a note: Going to look around for some twigs and stuff to build a big nest. Use the ladder to climb out of the nest. See you tonight. Trudy. "Well, well Trudy," Gus laughed, "You certainly are determined to build the big nest." Gus was still laughing when he went into his small cottage to make some porridge for breakfast. Gus sat down at his table and ate his porridge and drank some tea. he felt that it was time to walk around and see if his bird friends were all home. Gus met his friend Robin, BlueBird, Cardinal, and a few of his squirrel friends. He spent the day listening to all of the stories about flying home from the south. The birds coud not believe the wonderful weather. They al felt like it was summer already! Gus was tired when he returned home. He looked up at Trudy's nest. It was about 3:00 in the afternoon and Trudy was not back. Gus had a small snack and climbed intot his hammock to take a quick nap. Gus thought he hadjust fallen asleep when he heard Trudy's familiar hoot hoot. He blinked his eyes. It was dark out! he must have slept for a while. He turned over and looked at his clock - it was 9:00!!! he had missed his dinner - slept right through dinner! "Gus, what did you do today that you are so tired?" Trudy hooted. "Trudy I really just spent the day walking around checking up on our bird friends," Gus answered," I only had a small snack and then fell asleep for a quick nap." "Well Gus, I think you took more than a quicknap. Are you hungry?" Gus thought about that. Was he hungry? He was always hungry! "Climb up on my back Gus - let's head over to the beach for a dinner in the dunes." Gus climbed on Trudy's back for the short flight to the beach. Trudy and Gus met some friends in the dunes and had a wonderful clambake dinner. They had such a good time - they didn't evennotice that the sun was begiining to come up. "Good thing you had that 'quick' nap Gus," Trudy hooted, "We have spent the whole night talking and laughing!" Trudy flew Gus back to her nest and they watched the sun come up. "I think I coud use a quick nap," Gus said. "So could I Gus, so could I."

A Thinking Day for Gus and Trudy

Trudy was still thinking about the nest that she would build for Abby and Tommy. She still could not believe that they had to sleep in BEDS! Hard, lumpy beds - instead of soft, cozy nests... The shame of it. She had spent a great deal of time during the night going over her plan in her mind. She was being very quiet about it. She did not want gus to know that she was planning something. Gus, of course, knew exactly what Trudy was up to. he noticed her stillness and knew that this was a sign that Trudy was cooking up a scheme. he also knew, from their conversation last night, that the plan had something to do with building a big nest for Abby and Tommy to sleep in. He would let her think a little longer but then he would have to try to talk her out of this huge nest building. The problem was, he couldn't think of a good reason to stop her from building the nest. He would have to think. Now Gus and Trudy were sitting in Trudy's nest, both lost in thought. trudy was thinking of a way to build a huge nest for Abby and Tommy and Gus was thinking of a way to stop her from building the nest. It was going to be a very quiet day in the garden.

Gus and Trudy and the Nest

It was a gray day. A lazy day. A day that looked like it could start raining but it just never got around to it. Gus and Trudy decided that it was a good day to just sit in Trudy's nest. "I wonder where Abby and Tommy have been?" said Gus, "It has been very quiet on the street." Trudy hooted and agreed with Gus. "Maybe they are staying in their nests today too." Now it was Gus' turn to laugh,"Trudy, Abby and Tommy don't have nests - they live in a house!" "Well yes, in a house, but they have a nest to sleep in - don't they?" Trudy was very concerned. How could anyone get a good night's sleep if they didn't sleep in a nest? She couldn't understand. "No Trudy, no nest. They sleep in beds. Beds in their house," Gus was almost laughing out loud. Trudy was very quiet. She felt that Abby and Tommy were missing out on a great sleep experience. OK a bed was alright once in a while, but to get a truly wonderful night's sleep - well nothing beat a nest! Gus noticed that Trudy was very deep in thought. He thought that she was planning something. He was right. Trudy was trying to think of all the different ways that she could make a nest for Abby and Tommy. She thought that it would take a great deal of planning, but she was determined to have Abby and Tommy have at least one night's sleep in their very own nest. Gus spent the day watching Trudy think and plan. He chuckled to himself, he couldn't wait to see what Trudy was planning!