Squirrel’s favorite hobby — in addition to digging holes to look for purloined walnuts he’d previously buried (although he could never quite remember exactly where, so he did rather more digging than was strictly necessary) — was practicing his climbing, jumping, and acrobatic skills. Over the course of a few of these practice sessions, he’d first discovered and then studied the workings of the cottage’s mailbox. And, truth be told, he’d become a bit of a celebrity because of it, as everyone was now asking him to please take care of posting their mail in the mailbox, so they wouldn’t have to ask the birds to deliver letters one at a time.

Just this morning, Squirrel had delivered several things to the mailbox: Rabbit’s order for the black tea she’d need for her garden-tea blends, Mama Chipmunk’s letter to her favorite bookseller, Old Possum’s cards to three of his distant cousins, and — because he couldn’t help himself — a pile of walnut shells.

(August 2022)

Story © 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.