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Dear Miss Blue,

Dandelions and Lilies of the Valley have always been the flowers we little children picked from our backyard. We didn't plant them, Miss Blue, they just appeared every spring, like magic. I really loved the dandelions best. Always on the way home from school I would search for the tallest and most beautiful yellow dandelions and pick them and hold them carefully so as not to crush their blossoms and even sometimes put them in the pocket of my dress, imagining all the way home how happy my mother would be when she looked at them.  She would smile and right away look for a vase to put them in just perfect for the dining room table.  I told my teacher all about the dandelions in the vase and she asked me to bring her some dandelions and she would right away bring her own green glass vase to put the dandelions in; so elegant Miss Blue, green and yellow. I could hardly wait to see it all there in my 3rd grade classroom at school the next day.  

Once I thought I would have, when I grew up, a bookstore for children.  I already knew that I would name the bookstore "The Dandelion Book Store."  There is a lovely spot right near me, Miss Blue, it is a store that is empty; it didn't do well here in my neighborhood selling crocodile shoes and expensive things. I am sure the Dandelion Book Store for wild and happy children would be a success.  Tell Phoebe and Isabel about it, Miss Blue, will you?

Love, Pearl 

Dear Pearl,

Oh Pearl, I do apologize for the long time between letters!  While you were traveling to parts unknown, I was busy here trying to keep things dry!  The weather has been violent - monsoon-like rains every afternoon, and nights full of the most concussive thunder!  Fannie says it really is raining cats and dogs.  But without the dogs.

Isabel and Phoebe have been making crepe paper flowers for the May Day baskets they are planning to leave on everyone's stoops next week.  Do you remember the baskets we used to make?  Dandelions and Lilies of the Valley stuffed into our recycled Easter baskets. . .no wonder Uncle Thimbleton sneezed so hard each May 1!

I Remain as Always, Your Devoted Miss Blue

Dear Miss Blue,

I was surprised to hear about Fannie's riding lessons and the horse named Dobbins.  Dobbins looks very sad, Miss Blue, as if he misses his little cat friend. Too bad about the distemper booster, although farm animals don't usually have to have them, do they? Just the wild animals in the far away places where beasts become poisoned by some dreadful spoiled food left too long by hunters and other thoughtless persons.  Anyway, Miss Blue, Houdini, a perfect name for the disappearing tabby cat, will give cats all over the land a sense of honor, maybe regal!  I do believe that cats are very intuitive, Miss Blue - sly, and mischievous, and eager for attention. Remember Petunia? He was a brave and handsome cat.

Sending love and best regards to you, Pearl

Dear Pearl,

Please be more careful in the future, Pearl!  It would not do to have you sneezing and wheezing in Japan this summer!  (Cats don't mean to be sickening, darling.  They just ARE to certain lovely people like yourself.) The horse that Fannie is learning to ride on - Dobbins - is inconsolable without a nuzzle from the little tabby cat who is his stable mate.  Houdini is what they call him - he's terribly clever about making himself disappear when it's time for his distemper booster!  

I Remain as Always, Your Devoted Miss Blue

Dear Miss Blue,

Thank you so much for reminding me of the allergy pills. I  am looking forward to our trip to Japan, Miss Blue and cats, however so precious, would be a problem for me without my pills.  Did I ever tell you about the cat I got to know here that belonged to one of the families in the neighborhood? Well, Hunter was his name, Miss Blue, a beautiful white and black cat who used to prowl around in the backyard here and was quite acrobatic, always showing off by walking on the top of the fence and looking up toward my windows on the porch waiting for me to call out my greeting of praise. I did bring him up to my apartment one day, in a friendly way Miss Blue, to give him a little change of scenery and he was so happy! But right away I began coughing and sneezing; Hunter was frightened at all the noise and tried to jump out of the porch window! Really, Miss Blue a very nerve-racking time. So I carried him in my arms downstairs to the backyard and guess what? He stood right there and arched his back and hissed at me! Cats are very independent and that is a fine trait in itself but sometimes very trying to their owners. How kind and loving was the little Empress to have a daily change of scarves for Cio Cio, a story of true love!
I must say I silk scarves and kimonos, have never been in any of the stores I visit so when we are in Japan I will buy a scarf and even a beautiful kimono. Will you too, Miss Blue?

Dear Pearl,

If we go to Japan this summer, Pearl, I would advise you to take your cat allergy pills with you.  The Japanese have been having a love affair with cats for a very long time indeed! The Empress had a little white and black one when she was a girl.  She named it Cio Cio and tied a new scarf around its neck every day.  She would throw the old one away just like that!  Very wasteful of the little Empress, don't you think, Pearl?  Louise would have a fit!  

I Remain as Always, Your Devoted Miss Blue