|
Well now who would not like to be greeted by this cheerful face? Surely Great Aunt Nancy would benefit from a little lift in her day, and just imagine her smile as she opens up that bright blue envelope to find this happy goat saying 'hello hello hello'! Later on, dear Nancy might like to have a blank card or three to inscribe with her own message, so she can pass 'em along to her dearest friends and give them likewise a little lift too, so well now perhaps tuck a few extras in that care packet, and good on you!
Other Things You Might Like to Know: The original artwork is gouache and graphite | © 2017 Melinda Nettles | Designed and printed in Oregon, USA | Paper by Neenah and envelopes by Mohawk are minimum 30% Post-consumer recycled content and FSC® Certified |
The Back Story:
Odessa, though she was still little enough to need a boost up to the sink, got it into her head one weekday afternoon that there ougghta be such thing as a Goat Circus. So she hitched up her red corduroy overalls, slapped on her cowboy boots, and took herself on down to the barn to see whether or not she could get Daffodil, her best white goat, to agree to such a scheme. Daffodil, never one to shy away from adventures large and small, was game before Odessa made it even mid-way through her sales pitch, which involved promises of fame and fortune when the show eventually went on the road, as surely it would. The two soon set about organizing the barn and its inhabitants. They bribed the geese to give up their pen for bleachers, persuaded the pig to wear a small party hat, and cajoled the twin orphan sheep into acting as rodeo clowns for the barrel racing,* until all the necessary preparations had been made. Shortly thereafter, they let in the eager crowd, which included Uncle George the distinguished English bulldog, six barn cats, Mrs. Melonwillow from across the road, and Odessa’s best pal from school, whom everyone called Frog for reasons now forgotten to history. They adjusted the lights, and finally, at long last, Daffodil climbed boldly upon her freshly painted circus pedestal and announced, “Ladeezz an’ Gennulmen...” *Ever So Important Note: Before you go objecting that most circuses don’t have barrel racing and rodeo clowns, just remember that this would not be your grandma’s circus, no siree -- from Odessa’s point of view, there was little difference between a circus and a rodeo, and she aimed to be the best barrel racer ever to ride a farmyard goat. |