Time for a Change

By Angie Bromeland

Willow the bullfrog lived in the grassy glades of the forest. One morning as she finished her song, she noticed the color of things were fading. That’s when Chester the beaver swam by.

“Good morning, Willow!” he waved.

“Chester, oh Chester,” Willow called to him. “Where have all the colors gone? Why is the world turning dull?”

Chester stopped swimming and sat up. “Whatever are you talking about?” he asked in confusion.

“Oh don’t you see? The golden petals of the black-eyed Susan are curling up and fading away. The grass is going dry, and even the wild rose has turned from red to pink. Why?”

Chester was wading into the shallow water at the edge of the lake.  “My dear friend, don’t you know it is fall? And that fall comes every year? And that every year the colors fade and go away and are covered with an invasion of snow until it warms again in spring and the colors can return?” Chester’s many abilities didn’t always include being patient.

Willow blinked her big, bullfrog eyes at Chester.

“Dear me!” Chester said loudly. “Go on and exhale. You can’t hold your breath all day.”

Willow let out a long breath. The gale of wind ruffled Chester’s fur. He drew back further from her and dunked himself under the water.

“Oh, please, excuse me, I didn’t mean to blow you away,” Willow said shyly.

“Never mind that,” Chester said. “I’ll be on my way before I set sail. Good day.”

Willow was rather embarrassed about the whole thing. Of course fall was here. The nights had been trading warmth for chill, and the days were shorter than ever. Willow hopped out of the lake and into the dry, crunchy blades of grass. It was time to prepare for fall.