The Stonies

By James Meikle

It really is amazing how much activity and interest there can be in a relatively small green space like an average backyard if one really pays attention. Birds and critters are all creatures of habit and observing them daily can reveal an awful lot about them and their routines and provide endless entertainment and joy. Of course they are all also capable of spontaneous outbursts which is where most of the fun comes in, especially when they become competitive over the supply of food and water and occasionally even over control of the yard.

When you mix that setting with a little imagination and if you have the will to believe in talking stone angels and gnomes and other magical communications between birds and critters, it can lead to truly fascinating adventures.

I hope you and your children will get to know the Stonies, the birds and critters who occupy this one particular backyard in Arlington, Virginia, USA. They are a very colorful bunch of characters who will bring you some laughter and maybe even a small tear. They are never boring.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Nov 19, 2015
• ISBN: 9781491781838

James Meikle

Raised in Pilton and Drylaw, two of Edinburh’s toughest public housing schemes but spending summers with grandparents in Wick, a small fishing town on Scotland’s North East coast, Meikle tasted contrasting environments. His own kids were raised in relatively affluent Arlington, Virginia, where he is Facilities Director for public schools.

Book preview

Copyright © 2015 James Meikle.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.

THE STONIES written and illustrated by James Meikle

iUniverse

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.iuniverse.com

1-800-Authors (1-800-288-4677)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4917-8182-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-8183-8 (e)

iUniverse rev. date: 11/18/2015

CONTENTS

THE STONIES - FALL

A 'CAT'ASTROPHE

THE NEW POOL

THE STONIES - WINTER

STONIES SPRING

STONIES SUMMER

DEDICATION

For the bairns:

Aidan in Burntisland, Scotland

Hope and baby yet to come in South Queensferry, Scotland

Ellie and Leah in Switzerland

Indie in New Zealand

Sofia in Antwerp, Netherlands

Hallie in London, England

Danelle in Wanaka, New Zealand

Baby yet to come in Wilmington, Delaware

EPIGRAPH

Treat ay birdies weel and those wee chiels'll gee ye back muckle---Bennie Miller, Wick, Scotland

(Be nice to birds and they will return the love a lot)

FOREWORD

For as long as I remember, my Uncle Jimmy has been my best friend. While all the other adults talked about things that my young brain couldn't comprehend, my Uncle would show me magic tricks, tell me corny jokes, and ask me questions that kept me entertained for hours on end. I can remember sitting outside with him on his back porch, looking out over their beautiful garden when it came to us: birds vs. squirrels. For the life of me I can't remember how we got onto the topic; however, we were soon immersed in our little creation that Jimmy decided he just had to take notes!

About ten years later, I was over at his house, talking to my Aunt Bunty about something or another, Jimmy approached me and asked if I remembered our notes. I, of course, had no idea what he was talking about until he recalled the whole memory. And just like that, it all came flooding back! We had named all the birds and the gnomes that inhabited his garden, come up with our own little world where everything could communicate, and had put our own plot to it. So to say I was shocked my Uncle was going to make a real book was the younger version of me's dream come true.

Over the next few months, I heard little by way of progress on this new project and at first I thought he was just messing with me. Until one day when I was over at his house practicing my drawing by the warm fire, Jimmy asked if I wanted to hear his book he had entitled The Stonies. I agreed, realizing that he had written much more than I thought; however, I am severely dyslexic so my Uncle, being as kind as he is, read what he had so far to me while I drew and listened. Now, English isn't my best subject, but according to Jimmy I gave back some tough love feedback. So again, I heard little about how his book was coming until I was at their house a few weeks