...Once upon a time.. In a beautiful forest, lived a little mouse, he was a very sweet little mouse, and a funny little mouse, but...he was a curious little mouse, and he loved spending time with his friends. One hot and sunny  afternoon Haxley and his friend Gloria the chicken were having a picnic by the river...earlier that day his mom made a yummy ham and cheese quiche and she carefully packed it up in a picnic basket for them to enjoy Gloria had made an arugula salad, cherry pie for dessert and she brought a big thermos of lemonade...Haxley found the perfect place for the blanket under a big oak tree near the river to shade them from the hot afternoon sun..."Mmmm this quiche is so yummy Haxley, your mom is a fantastic cook!" Gloria said as she gobbled down a huge slice..."Mmm I love the salad you made Gloria, yum yum yummm..." said Haxley as he nibbled away on the green leaves..."Gloria, you ate almost all the quiche!...leave some for me!" he said as he grabbed her fork, and took a biggg piece of quiche off her plate..."Hey! you’re gonna get alll my germs!" she teased Haxley "Hehehhee" he giggled...they ate all the quiche, and all the salad...& the entire cherry pie....and washed it all down with lemonade...."Ohhhh my tummy is sore, I ate wayyyy to much!" Haxley groaned..."Mine hurts too!" Gloria said clutching her belly...they lay on the blanket and watched the leaves of the big oak tree sway in the breeze...they were getting very sleepy....an hour later they woke up...."LOL...Gloria we fell asleep!" he said..."ohhh we sure did!" they looked down at the  picnic basket...it was full of ants...apparently the ants enjoyed a picnic of their own while Haxley, and the chicken slept..."Lets wash this stuff"...said Gloria as she picked up the basket, and dishes and walked over to the river with Haxley right behind her..."Heyyyy Gloria, stop splashing me!" Haxley said as he was sprinkled with water...Gloria just laughed, and splashed him some more..."Haxley, I'm just getting the ants off you!" she said...Just then Haxley saw something bobbing up and down in the river...it was a bottle..."Gloria look...maybe there is a secret message inside, or a treasure map...let’s get it and see!" Haxley got a long stick, and reached for the bottle until he was able to pull it out with his hands...he pulled and pulled at the cork on the top, but it wasn't coming off..."Gloria help me pull it!" he said...She tugged at the cork, while Haxley held the bottle tight...she pulled, and pulled...and the cork flew right off...."Look inside Gloria, look inside...!" Haxley said excitedly...she did...and sure enough...there was a bright pink piece of paper inside with writing on it..."Read it.... Read it.... what does it say?!" he said with curiosity...She slowly unfolded the pink piece of paper..."It is a secret message!...inside it says...*M you are so beautiful to me, I'm so happy your part of my life...Love L* with a big heart drawn around it" Gloria said in a very soft voice..."Ohhh how sweet" Haxley said as he put his little mouse hands over his heart... "Let’s put the message back in the bottle and hopefully the message  will get to her!" he said...They carefully put the pink piece of paper back in the bottle, tightly closed the cork..And put the bottle back in the river...they both blew kisses at the bottle... and Haxley said..."I hope the message gets to you!"  They walked back to the big oak tree, gathered up their picnic things, and packed them up. Haxley shook the crumbs off the blanket and smiled at Gloria..."What a wonderful afternoon!" she nodded in agreement..."Let’s pick some berries for your mom on the way home! “She suggested.."Great idea she will love that...and I'm going to write her a message too" Haxley exclaimed..."Ohhh what will it say?" she enquired...."It’s a secret!" Haxley said...they both walked home...laughing, talking, and picking berries...