The text and paintings on The Trowbridge Chronicles are taken from the illustrated journal of Violet Trowbridge, a shrew that once lived in a village deep in the Olympic Rain Forest. Each new post will represent a portion of Mrs. Trowbridge’s journal.

Friday, January 22, 2010

SUNLIT FOREST

Banana slugs are commonly found in the Quinault Rain Forest. They are usually bright yellow, like Scooter, although they may also be green, brown or even white. The Pacific banana slug (Ariolimax columbianus) found in the Quinault Rain Forest, is the second largest slug in the world, attaining a length of almost ten inches.

Mrs. Trowbridge wrote many stories for her children and grandchildren. She was careful, never clumsy in her choice of words for her stories, and she taught her offspring the craft of writing as well. Sometimes she would create a first page of the story, as seen above, then allow her children to write their own finish for the story. It was a wonderful way of passing the gift of creativity down to her offspring. How would you finish the story?

Sunday, December 20, 2009

EPISODE 100

What better way to introduce Episode 100 of the Trowbridge Chronicles than to offer one of my favorite of Mrs. Trowbridge's holiday paintings. The Trowbridge shrews of long ago didn't celebrate Christmas as we do, but they celebrated an annual winter festival that was similar in many respects to our Christmas celebration. Mrs. T painted her neighbor's cottage (above) decorated for the festive occasion during a winter snow.

The early shrews picked a variety of berries during the summer, then stored them away in their food cellar for winter provisions. The red huckleberries and white snow berries were also used for holiday decorating, as you can see in Mrs. T's painting. They would then hang the berries on tiny twig trees planted in front of their cottages. They ignited alder twig torches fueled by fir pitch, and decorated wooden barrels filled with mountain heather and berries. Their decorations were much simpler than ours.

Mrs. Trowbridge would most certainly have come undone if she could see the way we celebrate Christmas, with all the hustle-bustle and commercialism. I hope you are able to take time this season to remember the real reason for Christmas...to honor the Savior who came to us as a babe in a manger to bring Light into a dark world. Merry Christmas to all!

Monday, November 16, 2009

OW! HE JUST SINGED MY TAIL!

Our little shrew is undoubtedly feeling like his life is a bit unbalanced at the moment, as he attempts to escape the little green flame thrower with legs who is pursuing him. How could friendship possibly emerge from such adverse circumstances? Maybe it can't, maybe it can. We shall see.

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Friday, October 16, 2009

ESCAPE FROM THE FLAMES!


Frozen with fear, our little shrew must decide what to do in order to escape the little dragon's flame-throwing mouth. Can friendship arise from the flames? We shall see.

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Monday, September 28, 2009

WAS IT SOMETHING I ATE?

Our little shrew has just encountered a green baby dragon with a polka dot pattern, fresh out of the shell. At this point it doesn't look like much of a friendship could develop. If your whiskers were singed by a fire-breathing dragon, you too may have second thoughts about nurturing a friendship.