A Sightseeing Day with Friends

Today, While talking at breakfast, it was decided that the weather was perfect for a sightseeing day. Here in California is a resort called Big Bear. It is quite lovely with pine trees and cabins. Since we are little, we chose to visit Little Bear Valley, which is more to our liking. Along the way we will travel through Clock Court, Mom really likes the clocks.






Hitty Mitty is excited to have Hitty Molly Marie and Sara Beth meet all her friends in Little Bear Valley. Mom called ahead, so the bears were ready to greet their guests. Upon arrival their was bear hugs all around.









We went for nature walks. At sunset, We gathered around the campfire for an old fashion sing- a -long.





Soon Hitty Mitty was telling stories and we roasted marshmallows.




On the drive home, we talked of our outdoor adventures, many yawns and sleepyheads we were. Mom carried us to bed, prayers were said, and we all slept like little bears for the winter. Love, Hitty Mitty, Hitty Molly Marie and Sara Beth.

Visiting the big white house

Today we went to the big white house on the hill. Its pretty with lots of flowers, green shutters, and the front door says," Come on In."





It is where our cousins live and the friendly mice. Hitty Mitty likes to read the story books about mice to everyone.



We played hide and seek and sang songs. Then Mr. Squirrel visited to say, I am nuts about you." He is so funny.




Afterwards we shared cheese and crackers. The sun was going down, so we started home. Our evening was spent telling Mom about our great day.

Hitty Molly and Sara Beth arrive in California

When Hitty Sara Beth and I, Hitty Molly Marie arrived in California, Hitty Mitty and her mom were in the garden.
A very warm welcome followed, felt like we had been friends forever. We walked through the arbors, where we smelled the flowers, listened to the water fountains and ringing chimes. We talked of my travels and the plans for our visit. After dinner, yum yum, Mitty, Sara Beth and I went to her cottage room. Hitty Mitty likes to read and has a huge imagination. Tomorrow will be fun. We are safe, happy, and tucked into bed with our new friend.
Night, Night, Hitty Molly Marie and Hitty Sara Beth


A very old watering can, very big and dark inside, hold tight everyone.




The water fountain is so high, oh, my!





We are climbing on the arbor, lets swing.





We have a new small Rosemary bush, looks like a Christmas tree.

Choosing a Tot-Sara Beth

After much consideration I have decided that the oldest tot should be the one to accompany me on my further travels. She is old enough to benefit from exposure to other cultures and really enjoy our adventures. I am sure we will become very very good friends. Her name is Sara Beth and she is very sweet. I have always wanted a younger sister and now I have one!






The chickens....................

It is nearing the time for my departure but I did so want to visit with the farm animals. The COuntry HIttys have many animals that they care for. I am so excited about this. Our first vist will be with the chickens. There are some newly hatched baby chicks that I am especially anxious to see. Also Noel told me that her little bantam hens will sit in my lap and love to be patted! I am so looking forward to this!!





After we vistied the chickens and had such fun the girls told me would go see the wild swan. Cousin Ida has warned them not to bother the swan but they insisted that we could just go take a peek. So off we trooped in high spirits...animals are such fun I thought!! We saw the swan but ...the swan also saw us!! Oh she was so angry!! She came right out of the water and started to run and flap her wings at us. We all turned and ran as fast as our pegs would take us back to the house. Cousin Ida was not very happy with us. She said she would calm the swan down and send her back to the water. We all just watched from the porch, that swan is very scarey!! Not at all like a chicken. NOw I am not so sure about these animals.




Cousin Ida is fearless!!! I think she is my hero. She marched right up to that angry swan and just gently urged her back to the water. I think she was talking to her?? Do you suppose that Cousin Ida can talk to the animals?? I must say that all of us Hittys were quite impressed with her actions. I believe the COuntry HIttys will heed her warnings from now on. Ida says that it is safe for us to leave the porch and go visit the other animals. i am not sure I want to but Noel says we are











Oh my the lambs are so sweet. They are just little cuddly things. Not scarey at all! We got to pet the mama sheep and her baby lamb. They were both very friendly and gentle. There was also a goose but it was a nice goose. Did not chase us or try to bite us. I could learn to like farm animals like these! Chickens and lambs are nice. Now there is one more stop to make. The Hittys have told me all about Miss Hickory...Hetty is her name. They say she is very very cranky and hard to get along with. I think they are alittle afraid of her. She calls them flighty and silly things! Well they can be a little silly I admit. Hetty and Cousin Ida are very good friends. IN fact they tend the chickens together and sell the eggs. I believe that if Cousin Ida likes her she can't be all bad. At any rate she has invited me to visit and meet the Racooon that comes to see her every day. I Can not imagine what a racoon might be? It does not have wings so that might be a good thing. Well I am off to visit Hetty and I will tell you all about it!



Visiting with Hetty..... Well first off I have to say I do agree with the Hittys...Hetty is rather formidible!! She is one who enjoys her own company. As my grandmother would have said..."she does not suffer fools gladly!". She welcomed me to come stand by her rocker and visit with Rocky the Racoon. She cautioned me that they do not make good pets as they are very onery. She chuckled when she said that..."a lot like me" is what I believe I heard her say. Rocky was nice and very plump. He has little paws that are just like hands. He even hugged me !! I was very happy to have the chance to meet a real Racoon and a real Miss Hickory. I am not sure I would want either for neighbors but it was an experience! The HIttys were so relived that I was able to return to them in one piece. They really are a little silly! Well tomorrow I am off on the next leg of my adventure. Tonight they are having alittle going away party for me. I am looking forward to that!




What a grand party we had. There were all kinds of sweet treats and we played games. We drank rose hip tea and chatted into the night. When it was time to go to bed the Hittys all gathered round me in a group hug. What nice girls they are. I have really enjoyed my stay here in the country...even with that swan lurking around. But it will be very nice to meet more people and make new friends. Time to go to bed and get ready for the postal bus.





It is time for me to leave. Noel walked me to the postal bus. we had already put Sara Beth in her wrappings. Noel was so sorry to see me go. I shall miss her but I think that my stay here has given her new confidence. She seems more outgoing and happier then when I first arrived. The other hittys have even commented on how she has blossomed. I feel quite pleased with myself regarding this. I hope that I can continue my good deeds at my other stops. Good bye for now...Off to California!!

Visiting the neighbors......

Dear Readers, it has been several days since we have posted. Real life is what the person here uses as her excuse for our tardiness! I have had a few adventures which I will detail later, but I will post this one for today. After church the person (Sherry) needed eggs. She buys them from a neighbor who lives 2 miles away....here in the country neighbors are not really very NEAR! She decided to take me along to meet another Hitty person. What fun! We drove along a twisty gravel road to this very large home.









The chicken house is out of sight. they were quite happy to see us and as Sherry chatted with the two elderly ladies I made the acquaintence of Vivian Lee.





She is a lovely Hitty who lives with these ladies. It seems that she is the very first Hitty that Sherry ever made...from a Gail Wilson Kit. Vivian Lee is very modest and our conversation was centered on her home and garden. She told me of all the things they canned last summer. I was quite taken aback! Hundreds of quarts of vegetables! And now of all thing they are canning venison.. I believe I might have mentioned that life in the country can be somewhat brutal to one of my delicate sensibilties. Well I have just learned that it is now Deer Hunting season. Hunting deer?? I confess to being a bit overcome by this information. Vivian Lee was quite gracious and had me sit a while until I was recovered. The visit was certainly an educational one. I can only wonder what tomorrow will bring!

with tots...meeting the dogs.........

Ahhh another day and yet more adventures here on the farm. But first I must tell you about our evening after the great Tot Rescue! Oh my what a great adventure that was. And to think that I found one of the wee dears!! There she was all covered with dry leaves to try and hide her little self. The poor little thing just clung to me when I plucked her from the forest floor.

We carried our little refugees back to the house. There we all soothed and petted them. Cousin Ida produced little blankets to wrap them in and soon they were nodding off. The girls and I had a lovely dinner and spent the evening just getting better acquainted. I must admit I had expected this part of my journey to be rather quiet and dare I say...dull, but so far I have not had one moment to catch my breath much less become bored!!

True to their word Cousin Ida and Hitty Joy Too charge of the tots. This morning they were presented to us all bathed and dressed in sweet little frocks. The tots range in age from a wee infant to an older girl. I have been asked if I would like one of the tots to accompany me on my further journeys. Oh my I am quite pleased that I have this opportunity to select a traveling companion.
Cousin Ida relieved my mind when she said that the tots would all find good homes and that I should not worry about that. Instead I am to choose the one that I felt would most suit. After some consideration and much chatting with the dears I believe the older girl will be a most suitable companion. I can continue her education and be both a mentor and guardian to her. She is quite thrilled to learn that she will be traveling the country with me. I believe that I have done exactly the right thing. Cousin Ida informed me that she agreed totallly with my choice. She felt the child would benefit from travel and being in my company. I am quite flattered by her good opinion of me. Oh it is time to take a bit of lunch and then the girls have told me I will be meeting their dogs?!! Dogs???










......meeting the dogs....

We had a very pleasant luncheon. It is so warm and lovely today. The girls have told me that I am now going to meet their dogs.
Much to my surprise I have learned that they have a German Shepherd Rescue!! I have never heard of Hittys being involved in that sort of thing. These are large dogs and I confess to being a bit nervous about this introduction.

We repaired to the patio and the girls brought out there charges. Oh my there was nothing to be concerned about! There are puppies...oh sweet puppies. The mother dog seemed friendly but did keep a close eye on her babies and whomever (me) was holding them! The other adult dogs were simply charming. So gentle and affectionate. We all gathered round and they went from one to the other of us for pats and play. I was quite taken with them, but especially with that youngest puppy! I hope that their will be dogs at my forever home. Perhaps I can persuade my future person to acquire a nice puppy for me!
We spent a peaceful afternoon just chatting and playing with the dogs. They love to chase balls. Tomorrow I am off on a trip to a wood carving class. I am very interested to see this as I myself was carved from wood. I will be writing more tomorrow. Until then I bid you all a good evening.

...The woods...

It is time to begin our foray into the woods...my goodness they are rather forbidding! I find it hard to believe that these Hittys tramp about out there on a nearly daily basis!! I believe this is going to be quite an adventure!!




Noel has taken me aside to ask that I be her companion on the walk. She has never been into the woods either!! The other Hittys are simply amazed that she has gathered her courage to do so with me. She is a sweet little dear, perhaps this will help her with her self confidence.




It is so warm out today that we do not need our wraps. We all begged to be allowed to come out without bonnets and Cousin Ida relented but she insisted that we all wear aprons to protect our dresses and for tot gathering??? What indeed is tot gathering? She and Hitty Joy explained all to us . The tots are wee hickory orphans that are in danger of being eaten by squirrels!! How barbaric. Lilfe in the country is a precarious thing. At any rate they can be found concealed beneath leaves and in the crevices of trees. We are to search carefully for they are often too frightened to cry out to us for help. And if we do find one we can gather it into our aprons to comfort the wee thing. I am so excited to begin.



We are diligent in our search.




oH look, under the leaves!


So this is what our aprons are for!! to wrap our tots in! We shall carry them back to the house to safety. Cousin Ida and Hitty Joy have clothing for them and we will all cuddle them and calm them. What a wonderful adventure. How exhilarating! I quite feel like a missionary!! More tomrrow my dear readers, as I am sure we will be busy for the rest of the day.

....In which I recieve a new cape and bonnet.....

After the excitement of my arrival, Cousin Ida suggested that the Hitty's all have a little lie down and rest. I confess that a
nap and some quiet sounded rather lovely to me also. Cousin Ida awakened me a bit later with a hot cup of tea and a sweet tartlet. I was so refreshed that I felt able to handle the rest of the day. These girls are so enthusiastic!!

I mentioned earlier that there was a good deal of concern regarding my lack of proper outerwear. Cousin Ida measured me and then their person got to work. She is very indulgent towards these girls, I suspect they might be a tad spoiled.

A little later they all gathered round while Cousin Ida made the last adjustments. I do feel rather fetching in thise new cap and bonnet.
Hitty Noel selected the color to complement my complexcion and I believe she has been quite successful. This cape is quite snug. I feel certain that I shall be able to survive in a blizzard!! I feel a bit guilty because all of a sudden the weather has turned warm!! The girls assure me that I will need it later in the year and they are just relieved that I have it in my box for the future.









Tomorrow we are off to the woods! I am quite excited about this as I have been informed that we will be on a rescue mission! We will be looking for orphan tots. I am not at all sure what a tot is but I expect to find out on the morrow. I must close now and go have a bite of dinner with my hosts.

Hitty Molly Arrives at Sherry

The box arrived to great excitement! Molly Marie must be in there..."can you hear us Molly Marie" . The County HIttys could not wait patiently while their person opened the box!






Molly we will have you out of there in a jiffy!!




There, there you are with friends now...take a deep breath...



The Country Hittys greet their house guest. We were all surprised that the very shy Hitty Noel was eager to whisper in Molly Maries ear. all the Hittys have been excited about the visit but Noel has been especially anxious to meet Molly.

Hitty Molly saying Goodbye to The Rock Bottom Hitties

Hello to all my friends and family,
I am about to depart on my journey to meet Sherry and Cousin Ida, Oh my I forget so many names, but I guess that would be exspected as I have not met them in person yet. So forgive me please for not naming each one of you. I do look forward to arriving there and meeting you all.
It looks as if my trip may have rain on the way. It has gotten cooler also since my journey began.
Tina and Hitty Mary kindly made me a new dress with long sleeves and an apron to match.




I appreciate it and think the colors are rather autumn looking. So now I have 2 dresses and wonder what may be added to my treasures as I travel along.
I have already spoken on the Fall Festival/Halloween party,so will only say, it was so much fun gathering all we needed to have a grand time that evening. Wouldn't it be nice to have partys all the time.
Oh but how tired we would be. Tina has packed my travel box and is awaiting time for her to take me to the PO to catch the Postal Bus. I think I have a little over an hour before I depart.
So with all this said, I will close and spend a few minutes saying my goodbyes to all here at ROck Bottom Hittys.
With much love to you all, Hitty Molly Marie

P.S. I will be sure to have Tina send photos as soon as she returns from the PO..