The early bees were out and about — dozens upon dozens of them — and they were hungry.

First, they feasted on winter-rose nectar.

Then they began to spread out among the spring beauties and the wood poppies and the fairy wings and the windflowers, all while awaiting one of their favorite treats: the sweetest of the flowering trees.

One morning, Rabbit mentioned to a passing bumblebee that Old Possum had noticed tiny purple buds on the gnarled old redbud trees at the far edge of the woods. And that he had estimated they were about a day — maybe three — from blooming.

(Early April 2024)

Story © Jennifer Singleton / Read+Purr

This is another cozy Tiny Garden Story in my ongoing series: peaceful 100-word 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.