HAIKU

I was reading through Mrs. Trowbridge's poetry the other night and one particular poem, a haiku about a Coast mole, prompted me to take you back to where the Shrew Khan story and all the other stories originated...in the rain forest village of Huckleberry Hollow.

If you're not familiar with the haiku, it's a simple poem consisting of three lines. The first line contains five syllables, the second seven, and the third five syllables. With these limitations, the poem must convey the message very simply. Mrs. T was a master, or should I say, a mistress of the haiku, as evidenced by this poem that she wrote about her Coast mole neighbor, Phinneas, who lived just down the path:

Mole, he burrows deep
to find some fat grubs to munch
Does he ever sleep?

Several months ago I posted this page, but it was one of Mrs. Trowbridge's sketch pages. I thought you might like to see her full color page.

ALOFT!

Since the last episode when the war balloons were introduced, many have inquired about the inventor of the shrew hot air balloon. He was briefly mentioned in a recent episode, but few details were given. Mrs. Trowbridge mentioned him frequently in her historical writings but unfortunately she never sketched him. His name was Ajith Gee. Mrs. T described him as a peculiar looking erudite individual with a squatty body and an especially long snout---"geeky" might best describe him in the modern vernacular.

The shrew hot air balloon was but one of his many inventions. He was a prolific innovator, notable in the ancient shrew world for creating numerous devices that became a part of the shrew culture during the Nang Dynasty, and up into the time of Mrs. T's writings. Perhaps in another episode we will discuss some of Gee's other noteworthy inventions.

So now our story takes to the sky...but where and how will it land? We shall see...

WAR BALLOONS OVER GILOH!

Mrs. Trowbridge was an ardent student of shrew history. She stated more than once in her writings that the royal assault on Giloh was the first use of hot air balloons in recorded Trowbridge shrew history. So the Nang Dynasty is credited with the invention of the hot air balloon as a means of shrew travel. I wish I could have been there to witness the grand event. It must have been a most remarkable day.

Did anyone catch the clue that Mrs. Trowbridge left in her story regarding the impending balloon assault? In the episode of May 18, Emperor Nang stated that "the winds have shifted...the time is right." You may also recall the Wind Riders episode of November 1, 2006 where the concept of balloon travel among shrews was introduced.

Some have asked why the emperor chose his bright royal red for the color of the balloons. This is a reasonable question. The red certainly doesn't offer any kind of camouflage against the desert sky. But Emperor Nang knew what he was doing when he selected the bright color, for he was aware that shrews have poor vision. Their eyesight only extends out a few meters, so the color of the balloons had no strategic significance.

After all these months of Keno in captivity, I hope you're as happy as I am to break out of the dungeons and hospital rooms. Finally it appears that the conflict in our story line is reaching a resolution. But there are still unanswered questions. What has become of Shrew Khan and his forces? Are they still alive? Our story resumes...

OUT OF BED

My paradise would be to spend a summer in the Quinault Rain Forest with Mrs. Trowbridge and her family in Huckleberry Hollow. Since that would require a trip in a time machine I will remain content to be the keeper of the Chronicles.

My Trowbridge trip destination last summer was Shi Shi Beach, a remote beach on the Pacific Coast in Washington State. Some of you may remember that Trowbridge episode. This summer I hope to make my third trip in to Wild Rose Creek on the Quinault River, where Huckleberry Hollow once was. This year perhaps we will stay overnight there. In past years we've camped at Wolf Bar, a couple miles below Huckleberry Hollow. It's a lovely spot in a sea of sword ferns near the banks of the Quinault River.

But enough about that...you've been waiting to find out what Emperor Nang has in store for Keno. I have a feeling that it's something most amazing. Our story resumes...

HOPE IS IN THE AIR!

Signs of hope are beginning to appear in our story. The sun is beaming into Keno's room at the infirmary, and I trust that it's an omen of good things to come. Of course, I've been known to be wrong. Our story resumes...