I'm still kind of a mess, but I think we all are" is the quote this week from Wendy to be used with Jo's challenge at Art Journal Journey which is "Wonderfully Wild" and so I painted my page green and added some of Dyan's Toadstools along with some cute/funny little creatures. Obviously the other figures, including the Zebra, are also Dylusions.
I just loved the little bugs that I added to the mushrooms. Having had them for years I am surprised I have never used them before. I always like the caterpillar and just now realise I did not put his 'feelers' on with a pen. Hope you think it is a bit 'wild' in thinking with toadstools all over the place but just to be safe I added a zebra which then came into the story.
"Jen had taken her daughter to this wonderful new zoo that had opened in the next town. It had advertised as having some unusual animals and lots of bugs in "Bugs Corner" which would be perfect for her little Angela. As usual Angela had taken her favourite handbag with her, to hold lots of food which they would buy to feed the animals with.
She had been a little frightened at the roaring of the lions and much preferred the "striped horses". Mum kept telling her that they were zebras but Angela would have nothing to do with what her mummy said, to her they were "striped horses" and she wanted to go for a ride on one of them.
Angela was a little headstrong for an eight year old and she wandered off on her own at one point, managing to evade her mum in the crowds. She was determined to have a ride on one of those horses. So, without a thought for her mummy worrying about her, she made her way back to the zebra enclosure and found a way she could squeeze in to be right up to them.
"Here horsey horsey" she shouted as she held out her hand with a piece of bread on it. "Here, this is for you" she said. Then she let out a yelp as the zebra came over to the wire and bent down to her outstretched hand. He had the most enormous teeth, they frightened her. Tears began to well up in her eyes and spill down her cheeks. A man rushed over to her.
"Did he bite you?" he asked.
"Yes, I think so" replied Angela.
The man examined her hand and could find no evidence of a bite, not even a single mark.
"I think you are mistaken" the man said, "I can't find anything on your hand, are you sure he bit you?"
By this time a crowd had gathered around, and suddenly Jen burst through.
"Oh Angela, what has happened, are you ok?" she asked breathlessly.
The man explained, he didn't think there was anything wrong, the little girl had just got too close to the zebra and she thought she had been bitten but her hand was fine.
Then an official came over to see what was the matter. Having listened to the man and spoken to Angela he took mum to one side and told her to go and get a cup of tea as it was obvious she was shaken by what had happened. Mum did so, taking Angela firmly by the hand and a little later the zoo official came to see how she was.
"Are you ok now Mrs Jordan?" he enquired.
"I'm still kind of a mess, but I think we all are." she replied, sipping on her tea, all the time thinking how she would scold Angela once they got well away from the zoo. It wasn't the first time her daughter had done something like this and created a fuss but it would be the last!
