Mona Lisa of the Goose-kind part 2

  By Fionna Goosefeathers the 2nd.... ( super model)

  Dear Diary, The day I have been waiting for has finally arrived,, yes, the day that I,  Fionna Goosefeather II become immortalized in living Color!  The Mistress summoned me into her chambers and told me that in 2 days hence, I was to come to the studio to have my portrait completed! Months ago, she did my drawings and I've been waiting with bated fish breath for the day when she would paint me in all my technicolor glory... or was that watercolor glory??

 Wanting to look my best, I immediately made an appointment with the  hen hairdressers  at  
"Le Chic Chicken Salon"

  The hen ladies shampooed my feathers in chamomile and lavender,  fluffed up my tail to a perky puff and used a specially scented Pomade to slick my wing feathers smooth as... well, feathers.They slathered it on and it smelled a LOT like crayfish to me, but they said it was all the rage.  Then, they buffed my bill  to a lovely orange sheen and spent 2 hours giving my webbytoes a pedicure!

 They kept complaining "Mon Dieu! Mon Dieu!.. what is theese green  between your toes!" I can't help it if the moss stains my webby toes... and I told those hoity-toity  gals so.! They think they are SO special , but I know those French accents are affected!  I happen to know that ALL three of those so-called "French Hens" were hatched, right here in Tennessee.... in the barn... in a wooden crate. Besides, I think they are just jealous because I am a super-model.

 Dear Diary, I arrived 2 hours ahead of schedule, and the Mistress directed me to put on my bonny bodice, blouse and skirt. I laced my corset extra tight, but I never did acquire a proper waistline.  Next I was told to adorn myself in the jewelry, ( straight out of  the vault!) 
 
 "You look just perfect Fionna, says she.... but what is that horrid fishy odor.?..."
 I self-consciously shuffled my feet and sniffed my feathers...darn those double-crossing French Hens!

 Dear Diary,  The Mistress had some of her paints at the  ready, she said these were for my feathers and face.. I was so very excited... I had to remember what she told me when last I posed... "Be as Still as Mona Lisa"
 
 
 Dear Diary, It really paid off having my bill buffed, the Mistress oohed and ahhed over the rich orange colors. She claimed vehemently that the only things in the world that SHOULD be orange are Pumpkins, Oranges, Autumn leaves, a Harvest moon and a Goose's Bill!

I think she forgot to mention goosey toes....

"Lets start with your beautiful blue eyes." ( Hamish says my  eyes are the color of bluefish scales in the moonlight... isn't he romantic? ).  But the Mistress said " Fionna, your eyes are the color of Blue Lobelia, just lovely, my dear! Well, she IS the artist, so I will take her word on it.

My eyes got blue...

and then BLUER

until they were the color of Blue Lobelia...

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     And my bill and tooties were the color of a Harvest Moon!

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  Next I donned my famous bonnet. It HAS been worn by dollies and cats;  BUT it was meant for Fionna Goosefeathers! "What colors shall we paint it Fionna Dear??? It is a wee bit bland in it's original shades, don't you think?"

I was about to suggest orange, but I bit my tongue as I remembered her feelings on THAT subject.
"Lets go with pastels!" she exclaimed, interrupting my thoughts; just in time.

  

   Who would have though that purple and pink would go so very well with a pumpkin colored beak?

Dear Diary, the Mistress must value my opinion a great deal. "Tell me Fionna, dear, what color is your favorite for a bodice?" I had to wrack my tiny bird-brain on that one, but then I reminded myself, 'Self, you ARE the official garden guide here in the Hollow, and SELF, you DO know the colors of all the flowers.....Forget-me-Not" blue!'  I honked... rather loudly, much to my embarrassment.

"Excellent!" said she.  And, feeling flushed with satisfaction, I blurted out,' With  tiny pink flowers!!' and then,
  'Mistress, Mistress, May I have a dotted swiss blouse to match my hat.... AND a pink skirt??? And a crisp white Petticoat too???' I could just imagine the feminine beauty of it all.

  I began to wiggle and waggle out of excitement... oh dear, I am afraid I was not at all "still", like Mona Lisa.
Nevertheless, Mistress gave me all that my heart desired... she is such a softie.

 Suddenly, I began humming 'I feel pretty, oh so Pretty... I feel', "Be still Fionna, we are nearly finished!"

Dear Diary, after 7 days of modeling my portraits are complete! The Mistress was so pleased with the outcome she said I could keep the dress! I can hardly wait to waddle past the "Le Chic Chicken Salon" in my stunning duds, in full view of those 3 "French Hens"... so-called.  
 In the meantime, I think I will just take a quiet stroll down the Blue Lobelia path....."

" I feel pretty, Oh so pretty, I feel pretty and witty and gay... and I  pity, any girl who isn't me today!"

 Dear Diary, I almost forgot to tell you... The Mistress was so pleased with me, she said that I . Fionna Goosefeathers, should have a book of my own! Just think, the "Autobiography of a Goose Gal.".. or "Confessions of a Fish lover" or  "Love stories from the Pond" featuring Fionna Goosefeathers and her dreamy love-boat Hamish... I can hardly wait.

Where bears dwell....

Deep into the woods...

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of Hopalong Hollow,

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 There is  path that you can follow;

Winding neath cool canopies,

Of leafy, gnarled Chestnut trees,

Past river-bend and crystal spring,

  Where woodland Thrushes nest and sing;

 Just up and over the Blackberry fell....

Where Mamsey Bear and Mopkin dwell.

 Come with me....

Introducing Dimity Doormouse

 

    Dimity Doormouse was reluctant about appearing in public.... after all, she was slightly embarrassed about being seen in  gray and white".  "Oh dear! Whatever will my pen pals think of me.... bland as a churchmouse without a lick  of color on my poor little mousy body!!" But we at the Gazette managed to snap a few candid photos of Dimity when she wasn't looking....

Here she is, stuck to the honey pot...

 And here she is licking clean her little pink tail ..... I mean grey and white tail.

and graciously accepting a thimble full of tea

 "Oh Mistress dear, won't you pleeeese, give me a bit of color today? " I am having an important visitor from the west country... I simply CANNOT be seen like this! The Mistress has pity on poor little Dimity , she obliges, and collects her paints. "Would you prefer to be a little gray mouse or a little brown mouse?" " Oh most assuredly a gray mouse, just like my great grandmother Diadame Doormouse.

She was a divine shade of pewter!"

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 "Do you mean THIS shade of grey?"

  "OH yes! This shade of grey is quite becoming.
"

"And tell me, little mouse, what color shall we paint your lovely little frock?"

 "Well, I am rather partial to blues and greens and strawberries and pinks and sunflower and rose... If that wouldn't be too much trouble"

"Not a bit of it, Dimity"

" How is this??"

  Oh my! I am indeed a lovely little mouse after all....not a bit drab!  Now I shan't be atoll ashamed to show my face to my dear penfriend, Bebe.  Did I mention that she is quite a worldly mouse, most sophisticated?! Do you think Mistress, as long as you have your paints out.... you could possibly paint my cousins Diedra and Demelza? They would be simply mortified to meet Bebe in this condition!"

   And the other members of our sewing circle????

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  "Well, states the Mistress, "I will have to get the turtle OFF the page first..."

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  SCOOT!

 AND YOU TOO!

  Here we go...

 " A bit of Blue, a little burnt sienna and...

there is one of your feathered friends, in full color."

"Oh, I do like  Demelzas rosy pink apron...perhaps you could add a bit more rosy pink to my ears?"

"Gertie is a rather plain shrew, she LOOKS BEST in brown....after all, she IS a spinster."

  "And Leona Chippy is one of our finest needlemonks,
Could you give her a stripey red and white apron, pleese?"

"We always let Diedre measure the twist, as she is quite frugal. My, have you noticed the price of twist these days?? Shameful!"

  

"Miss Miliken is quite cheerful, perhaps she could be sunny shade of yellow?"

"Oh Mistress! We are ever so grateful for the colors and in return we would be delighted to finish sewing the sampler for you!"

  "However, we will leave a few stitches  for Bebe, as she is a needlemouse extraordinaire, and has promised to show us her secrets for perfectly tiny  embroidery stitches...

 That is, after we teach her to lasso a goat,

shear a sheep

and ride a chicken...

after all, this IS Hopalong Hollow! 

 Please visit "Angelsdoor" and meet BEBE, an indomitable little " mouse in a million" as she travels far and wide on her adventures.  This week, she is going to learn about chicken herding in the Hollow.
 BEBE is the creation of the talented artist Penny White.
http://angelsdoor.blogspot.com/

P.S.

Tell me, have you ever tried painting as a little bird places her little  head in your  hand???

It AIN"T easy.

 Yes, It seems Esther is becoming quite a willing studio assistant. She is always advising me on how NOT to paint feathers.

  

The above piece of art, which you are seeing in bits and pieces , is the TITLE page of my newest book,(in the works). After Dimity, Bebe and the sewing circle finish the stitching, I will show you the page in full.

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