Gratitude Practice 2017 Day #1: Miss Sniff
“On Easter, when Polly Pinks went downstairs for breakfast, she found a great, big, beautiful Easter box with her name on it. She, of course, expected to find an Easter bonnet or an Easter bunny, or Easter eggs. But No! When she untied the big, pink bow and took off the cover, there wasn't an Easter bonnet; there wasn't an Easter bunny; there were no Easter eggs. Can you guess? Snuggled up in the beautiful box was a black, fuzzy, real kitten. When the black, fuzzy, kitten opened her green eyes and saw Miss Polly Pinks, she jumped out of the box and began to sniff around. “That is a smart cat,” said Aunt Cordelia, “but she is going to be a mischief.’ “Missniff,” said Polly Pinks, who was just a little girl and couldn't say a big word like mischief. From that day on the little black, fuzzy kitten was called Miss Sniff.”
One of my earliest memories was sitting on my Grandmother's lap reading a delightful book titled “Miss Sniff - the fuzzy cat” by Jane Curry and illustrated by Florence Sarah Winship. I love this book and it was one of the treasures I kept from childhood. Tonight, I pulled it off the top shelf and read it to my Sarah Kate for the very first time. THIS BOOK! THESE words. THESE carefully detailed illustrations complete with pet-able black velvet ink transported me in an instant to the soft cozy love of my grandparents home. There is something magical about reading your favorite book from childhood...the book that was your mother's favorite book from childhood...to your very own curious sleepy eyed pajama clad little curly haired girl. Grateful beyond words that this dusty old book bound by a yellowed strip of dated masking tape is part of our family library. And grateful to watch the pudgy little hand of my inquisitive daughter pet and rub what remains of the black velvet fur just like I remembered doing. Aunt Cordelia. A bucket of yellow paint. Delicate pink roses. Miss Polly Pinks. A creepy but well meaning old grandpa man. And mostly mischief. Tonight I’m grateful for childhood story books and all the magic they conjure.
