Telmarc Gardens

Stories

From time to time I will post here stories based upon my time in the garden. They will generally be allegories and there is no relationship between any character and any person living or dead, unless specifically stated as such. As every avid gardener knows there is a close relationship between the gardener and the other creatures in the garden, animals and plants, and these anthropomorphic characters frequently have a real existence in my day to day work. These stories are here for the amusement of those who have experienced similar closeness with each and every plant and animal. As a "scientific" hybridizer I am always asking why and when and how, not just creating the next "line extension". I hope you enjoy these as they appear from time to time.

As we have been writing these tales it has become clear that our friend Antnee Squirrel has become a bit of a real figure and thus we are calling these The Squirrel Chronicles. They are all combined in Book Form in the attached link:

Tales From The Squirrel's Nest

which is available on book form via this link. More to come!

The following is a précis of each of the tales.

1. The Chipmunk and the Mouse This is the first of the tales and it examines the ethics of dealing with a mouse who has decided to take his winter vacation on my daylily beds. It introduces a cast of characters including the soon to be main character Antnee. It leaves you wondering at the end.

2. Saint Francis and the Squirrel :This is the first of the Antnee tales. You see Antnee was originally from Italy, at least by ancestry, and he tracks his lineage back to the squirrel who was the first animal friend of St Francis. This is the first of Antnee's explanations on the greatness of the squirrel. His personality emerges.

3. Squirrel's Christmas. This is a story about the first Christmas and told by Antnee Squirrel and how it was really the squirrels who aided the Baby in the Manager and that the other animals where there as mere hangers on.

4. Terentius Publius Squirrel. This is a story about the squirrel, named Terentius Publius Sciurus who became a confidant of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius and helped him write the Meditations.

5. Harry Bailey Squirrel and Geoffrey Chaucer. This is the tale of a squirrel, one Harry Bailey, who befriend../Documents/Stories/Harold the Squirrel.pdfs a Royal Forrester at the time, one Geoffrey Chaucer and how the two go on to see English people from the common man's point of view and create tales known as Canterbury.

6. Lady Isabella Squirrel and the Bard. This tale is about Lady Isabella Squirrel, who at the request of Queen Elizabeth, seeks out Shakespeare for the purpose of writing three plays in her battle against the Earl of Essex who threatened the throne in 1599. The three plays were Henry V, Julius Caesar, and Hamlet.

7. Herr Professor Doctor Gustave M, Squirrel and his student Albert is a tale about a squirrel who studied under Planck and returns to Bern and meets Albert Einstein. It tell of their many discussions which lead to the three major papers written by Einstein, and of course the squirrel, in 1905.

8. Major Nathaniel Squirrel and His Excellency is a tale about a colonial era squirrel right here in the Morristown area and how he headed up the squirrel scouts for George Washington and his exploits during that period.

9. Samuel A Squirrel and Professor Wiener This is the tale of Sam Squirrel and Professor Norbert Wiener and their joint developments including Cybernetics.

10. CPO Sparks Squirrel and the USS Albert W Grant  This is the tale of a seagoing squirrel, Sparks, and his tour of duty in WW II on the USS Albert W Grant, DD 649.

11. Sir Egwyn Squirrel and the Grail This is a tale about a young squirrel whose father was brought to Ireland by Saint Brendan and then goes to England in the Court of King Arthur. It is the squirrel's version of the Arthurian Legend.

12. Comtesse Maria and The Revolution  This is a tale of a royal squirrel, the daughter of the aide to Major Nathaniel, and her views of the French Revolution. It provides insight to Antnee.