They traveled in a case…in a tiny traveling case. Eliza the Mouse™ and Talula Kate Duckling.

Their chaperones, Grammy and Big Daddy, are taking them on an adventure.

Through the big city, into the country, and through another big city…

….across a large bridge…

 …and past old buildings and old schools…

…and through two states, into a third….Indiana.

There are tiny white farm houses and aqua blue skies…and there is corn…

fields and fields of corn...

The car turns off the busy highway and onto a smaller highway…

then another turn, and they are on a winding road, making their way

through the shade of the woods...

Oh, how wonderful to ride and ride and see such beauty…

feel such peace…

to travel back in time to a place called Story…

Story, Indiana

The car slowly approaches the STOP sign, and pauses for a moment.

Before them, lies the quaint little town.

A general store, with its old gas pumps..

 and old bicycles with flowers growing in their baskets …

…and murals painted on the walls…

A little house upon the hill where the town's doctor once lived...

A wheelbarrow filled with flowers..

and an herb garden …

and surprise lilies…everywhere…

Finally, Eliza and Talula Kate can stretch their mousie feet and duckling wings 

and take a look around….

The house is so cozy with its Victorian sofa and low rocker…

 and low chair…

its wood floors painted gray…

and bay window with lace curtains…

An old parlor stove stands guard in front of the mantle, 

and a wooden clock hangs above…

 …and how Eliza wishes once again, Grammy had remembered one tiny cast iron tub…

very much like the one in this cozy little cottage...

Grammy feels right at home, enjoying the afternoon sun streaming through the bay window's lace curtains…

Talula Kate Duckling wonders why Eliza has packed the tiny case with every tiny shawl…

…and every tiny hat…2 tiny baskets…2 tiny flower crowns... and 2 tiny soaps…

(Alas, it is Duckling's first adventure…and she has much to learn)

She has even brought her tiny phone! 

Talula gives it a try.

It surely does not work, for they are off in another world, it seems…

off in a story book world, where time stands still.

No television, no phones, no computers…

just the hum of the air conditioner ..

and the quiet chirping of the birds.

And in the shade of the old walnut trees, the heat of the summer

must relinquish its hold..

The little toy mouse and her dear duckling friend decide the shawls are not needed.

They each choose a pretty crown

with trailing fabric ties.

Talula's will be darling with the soft pink of the ribbon 'round her neck,

and the tiny blue flowers of Eliza's tiny crown are her favored shade…

that heavenly hue...

The fragrance of their soaps …honey and lemongrass…leave them feeling refreshed

after such a long journey.

It is time, now, to make their way to the restaurant...

and Grammy loves the old school desks greeting her at the entrance …

 Dinner in the old General Store of the Story Inn is quite wonderful..

and they enjoy the charm of the old stained glass windows...

and an old buggy suspended from the old ceiling…

The evening comes to a close. 

They make their way back to the coziness of the cottage,

and fall fast, fast asleep.

The next morning,

coffee is served with a hearty breakfast.

 They are on their way, once again…

traveling on to a second destination

where the adventure will continue…

And they will pass more fields of corn…

and tractors…

'neath aqua skies..

Come along for the rest of the journey.

Stay tuned…