Well, I saw my first little yellow flowers this morning in the Woods. They made me smile and put a spring in my step. Happy thoughts are all around us if we just look.

‘Spring is in the air, ‘Billy B said with a lilt in his step.’ ‘It won’t be long until Pounds Hollow is open and we can go swimming,’ he added.

‘Memorial Day on my calendar,’ Chet responded with a wink. ‘Unless you have designs on an early visit,’ he added.

‘I will pack a picnic lunch with Oscar Mayer Weiners for Chet and hamburgers from Moo And Cackle that we will pick up on our way to the Hollow,’ she added. ‘I have a fresh batch of homemade Balloon Wine that I will bring along to make our spirits sore,’ she laughed.

‘I hope that the winter caretaker does not run us out…he reminds me of Frankenstein,’ Jane commented with a slight smile. ‘I swear he must wear a size 16 shoe,’ she said.

‘Look…there he is…Old Mephistopheles and he is wearing the clothes of a Monk from the Middle Ages, ‘Chet noted. ‘My mom says that he was the Caretaker at Pounds Hollow when she was a wee girl and that he has not changed,’ he continued.

‘We are closed until Memorial Day,’ M said as he glowered at the group. ‘Leave before I turn the dogs on you and you will no longer be able to leave,’ M said through clenched teeth.

‘Oh look at the yellow flowers,’ Jane said as she picked one and gave it to M. ‘Please allow me to place it on your lapel, she said.

‘Join us for a flagon of Balloon Wine and some Oscar Mayer Weiners,’ said Chet as he poured him a glass and retrieved a Weiner from the package.

‘I have been the caretaker here for many years and no one has ever offered me a flagon of wine or an Oscar Mayer Weiner,’ said M. ‘Usually people go the other way when they see me and many of the kids make fun of me and my unusual clothing and manner, M continued.

‘You reminded me of my brother Gene…he is a solitary sort but has a heart of gold,’ Neva J said as she refilled his glass. ‘Do you live near the creek,’ she asked?

‘Ever since my MaMa died I have lived in the woods…MaMa made me biscuits every morning when she lived and we laughed often and we were happy,’ M said with a tear in his eye. ‘She made the best biscuits that I have ever eaten…she used a little honey in the batter,’ M said with a sigh as he reached for another Weiner.

‘Have you always been the Caretaker at Pounds Hollow,’ Chet asked?

‘I was a Monk in Germany during World War II…but MaMa and I fled when Hitler began rounding up all who did not fit his physical ideal,’ M said.

‘The yellow flower brings out the marvelous color of your eyes,’ Jane told M. ‘Did you visit Wittenberg while you lived in Germany,’ she asked?

‘Martin Luther was my friend…I helped him nail his 95 thesis to the Church Door…