The first truly chilly day of the year always felt colder than it really ought to, said Old Possum to himself, as he rummaged through the hall closet for his purple scarf; the one with the polka dots.

Today, he thought, was one of those days that starts out feeling brisk — invigorating, even. But then, the longer you sit looking at the piles of gray clouds, the more raw it feels.

The best cure for the first cold day of fall, Possum knew from long experience, was to bundle up in one’s warmest scarf, go for an afternoon walk and then, afterwards, sit by the fire with a mug of hot chocolate.

(Mid-October 2023)

Story © Jennifer Singleton / Read+Purr

This is another vignette in my ongoing series of Tiny Garden Stories: peaceful 1-minute tales that let you read like a kid again. Click one of the first two buttons below to go to (or back to, if that’s where you fell down the rabbit hole) either the “Public Garden” archive page or (if you’re a Story Club member) to the members-only “Private Garden” page. Or click the third button to learn more about my Tiny Garden Stories. If you’re new to Tiny Garden Story-land and would like 10 days’ worth of stories from our first year, visit ReadPurrNewsletter.com.