The multi-hued trees were, quite suddenly it seemed, bare. And the garden, after that final leaf-fall, was deep with crunchy leaves.

Some of the drifts were chin-high, or even taller, and Squirrel was busily diving into leaf piles and tossing handfuls of leaves aside in an attempt to uncover his stash of walnuts and acorns.

He had offered some of them to Raccoon for the nut pie she was making for their early-winter feast. But first, of course, he had to find them.

(November 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.