I have seen many raccoons at a distance, but today I saw one up close. He was enjoying his morning without a care in the world. Mr. Raccoon came close and said, ‘Nice weather we are having, if it wasn’t so hot.’What are you up to, kind sir,’ Mr. Racoon asked. ‘I have noticed you sitting on the picnic table or walking through our Woods snapping photos of all you see,’ Mr. Raccoon said. ‘I, sir, am a photographer myself and have been so most of my life,’ Mr. Raccoon said. ‘I have many children and thus many photo albums,’ Mr. Raccoon mentioned. ‘Tomorrow we are having a picnic by the lake and would like you to join us,’ Mr. Raccoon offered. ‘There will be the Deer and Wild Turkeys with many babies in tow,’ Mr. Raccoon said with a toothy grin. ‘The Snake family will be there with their five-alarm chili,’ Mr. Raccoon laughed. ‘It is the kind that would put Poppy in the hospital if he ate some,’ Mr. Raccoon giggled.

‘So you are a Seinfeld fan, I see,’ the Old Man said with a wink. ‘I never miss a rerun myself,’ the Old Man said with a dance. ‘Many times Seinfeld has been a comfort to me in difficult times,’ said Old Man. ‘I saw an Optometrist Office in the thicket,’ the Old Man noted. Who runs it,’ the Old Man asked.

‘That would be me, my good man, are you in need of new spectacles?’ Mr. Mold asked as he squinted. ‘My family has been in the optometry business for five generations and has fitted many humans with new glasses,’ Mr. Mole noted with aplomb. ‘We have an excellent guarantee if you can not see, come see me,’ Mr. Mole laughed so hard his sides hurt. ‘We fitted Mr. Magoo for a new set of Peepers every year…he is a famous cartoon star, you know, I am sure,’ Mr. Mole advised. ‘You will find that we animals get along with each other and wonder why you humans can not seem to dwell together…is it BO?’ Mr. Mole asked with a sly grin. ‘We have found that we accomplish much when we work together and forget our petty grievances,’ Mr. Mole said.

‘You will enjoy the picnic tomorrow, the Gnome said with a smile. ‘I am preparing my Hungarian Goulash,’ Gnome offered. ‘I brought the recipe with me from the Old Country,’ Gnome said. ‘My family and I love this Country, it has been so good to us,’ Gnome noted. ‘We were persecuted in our land and did not have the freedoms that the United States affords…we hope this is not going to change…we will be sad if it does,’ Gnome said with a tear in his eyes.

‘I neglected to mention that all of the members of Congress will be at the Picnic tomorrow, thanks to the Elf Magic,’ Mr. Racoon said with a grin. ‘We will eat in a magical spot in the Woods where the politicans will be loving and forgiving and will listen to each other as brothers and sisters,’ Mr. Raccoon said. ‘The Elves have been planning the Picnic all year, and it should be fun,’ Mr. Raccoon said as he danced on one foot and then the other.

‘It will be like nothing you have ever seen,’ Harry Elf said with a whistle…