Spring Cleaning...

​For most, Spring cleaning starts when Spring arrives - but not for all.  Brownies approach cleaning a little differently being part of the Old Race.  For one thing, Brownies still have a tough time understanding why anyone would want a hearth heated by electricity instead of a good ol’ fashioned flame.  “Outies – go figure…” Granny Flare usually will mumble when asked about it. 

For another, it’s all in the preparation.  A House Brownie will start planning and preparing for Spring cleaning usually about a month before Spring starts (and sometimes sooner)!  ​

​A garden Brownie will even start their planning in the Fall of the previous year just so everything is ready when Spring arrives.  Gardner, the Garden Brownie, sharpened his shovel and hoe and scrubbed his wheelbarrow before putting them up for the winter just to be ready when the sun came out in the Spring.  “No sense waiting until the last minute,” is his motto.  “Besides, the sooner I can feel the freshly thawed dirt between my toes is like getting a kiss from Esmeralda,” he told me as he blushed.  “But don’t tell her I said that.”

​Now this year, Granny Flare had been planning all winter and had finally decided that she needed to branch out and help others who were not so fortunate to have a House Brownie available for the Spring cleaning.  The problem was figuring out where her perspective helpers were located now that they did not need to hide from Nemmer.

​“It’s a good thing that Nemmer quit bopping the Dusty Mytes,” thought Granny as she decided to go out and look for them.  “It’s also good that the Dusty Mytes have gained some control over their forgetful dust.  It just won’t do having them blow their dust around and everyone forgetting everything.  It could set back cleaning for generations!”  Granny shuddered just to think of it!

​Granny decided to check with Efem first since they seemed to talk to her more than most others.  “I hope she knows where they are since I don’t have that much time before Spring starts,” muttered Granny to herself.  As luck would have it, Efem did know where the Dusty Mytes were now hanging out.  They have moved into the caves where Hungry (oops – Dree) lived.  Since a Dragon seems not be effected by the Dusty Myte forgetful dust, they could be themselves in the caves and if anyone else ventured into their part of the cavern, they would soon forget that they had ever been there.

​Soon Granny was in the caves and found where the Dusty Mytes had made their homes.  It was neat and tidy.  “Those noses do a good job of vak-u-ming up all of the dirt,” she thought as she nodded her head in approval.  It did not take Granny long, but soon she and the Dusty Mytes came to an agreement and a business plan quickly worked out.  Granny would find the cottages that needed cleaning, make all of the arrangements, and have the inhabitants go for a Spring outing, the Dusty Mytes then would come in and vak-u-m the homes.

​It did not take long for the word to get out which meant Granny needed a plan sooner than later to keep everyone busy while her "crews" were cleaning.  With that the Spring Fair idea was born.  Now, on the first day of Spring, everyone not in the cleaning crews were at the Spring Fair hosted by Efem, while Granny Flare and other House Brownies (with the Dusty Mytes help of course) are busy swishing, sweeping, and cleaning the old dusty winter gloom away.

​HAPPY SPRING!