Gazing at each delicate teacup in turn, Rabbit shared that her grandmother and her great-aunts — in their much younger days, before settling in to this very burrow — were travelers.

The sisters had been to all sorts of foreign and exotic locales. And from each place they visited, they brought back endless stories … and a single antique cup and saucer.

When she was a young girl, Rabbit loved exploring their teacup collection — picking out a cup each week and holding it in her paws while listening to her grandmother and her great-aunts tell one of their many stories.

There were tales of strong black tea with scones and clotted cream in busy London shops; delicate cups of coffee and fancy chocolate cakes in elegant Italian cafes; tiny cups of green tea in the East; sturdy little cups of coffee with bread and cheese in Spain; and so many others.

As memories of all the old stories crowded in, Rabbit sighed, explaining to Possum in a quiet voice that she hoped to honor the memory of her adventurous ancestors in her own way, by creating a cozy place for making delicious new memories.

“Brava, my dear,” said Possum. “You’ve certainly succeeded.”

(May 2023)

Story & Photo © Jennifer Singleton / Read+Purr

This is another vignette in my ongoing series of Tiny Garden Stories: peaceful 1-minute tales, full of cozy vibes, delicious details, and generous dollops of imagination & whimsy. 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 Private Garden page. Or click the third button to learn more about my Tiny Garden Stories. Want each week’s featured story delivered directly to your inbox? Subscribe to my Substack.