Scuttling slowly through the forest in search of treats, the Sparkling Sugar Bug is hoping to stumble upon a picnic basket. One containing a cookie, a cupcake, a pastry or a tart perhaps? But alas, after travelling such a long way to reach the forest, there don’t seem to be a lot of picnics taking place in this forest? As the Sparking Sugar Bug licks its toes, it realises its own sugar supply is becoming depleted, and needs replenishing fast!

Tweet, Twitter! I know you can’t join me unless you have a pair of wings you can put on. You don’t? Oh, that is sad, but I won’t be long. I am going to fly around and see what I can find that is interesting. I have decided to take up watercolour painting, and I need inspiration.

Maybe I will find a flower that I would like to paint, or maybe one of the nests has baby birds in it that would be fun to depict on canvas. A bird has to stretch their wings and imagination now and then. Tweet! See you soon.

Octavia Owl feels a touch of melancholy as her summer break comes to an end. What a wonderful summer it was! The camping trip with her dear grandchildren, the shopping trip in the city with her sister, relaxing days at home working in her garden, renovating the kitchen with her husband, reading books late into the night free from alarm clocks. Cherished memories to carry with her as she returns to her classroom.

Bedecked in her new fall outfit, her feathers looking great with their auburn highlights, Octavia prepares for a new group of students, young minds she can inspire and ignite with her passion for learning. Some students will be scared, nervous to be away from home. Others will be defiant, challenging her at every turn. Then there are the know-it-alls who don’t give other students a chance to speak. The deeply troubled students who live in dysfunctional homes touch Octavia’s heart most of all. All of her new students will need kindness, patience, love, and encouragement. They will need someone who believes in them even when they don’t believe in themselves.

Octavia stands in her classroom and surveys her new autumn themed wall displays and activity centres as the bell rings. She listens to the chaotic shouting and foot pounding in the hallway. As the door opens, children rush in, jostling each other. A young hedgehog is crying because her hair has been pulled. A little rabbit has hidden under a desk. Octavia relies on her years of experience and her skillful classroom management as she writes her name on the board and calms her class, “Good morning. My name is Mrs. Owl. Each desk has a name plate. Please find the desk with your own special name plate, and take a seat. Who wants to play a game with coloured jelly beans?”

Octavia Owl feels a touch of melancholy as her summer break comes to an end. What a wonderful summer it was! The camping trip with her dear grandchildren, the shopping trip in the city with her sister, relaxing days at home working in her garden, renovating the kitchen with her husband, reading books late into the night free from alarm clocks. Cherished memories to carry with her as she returns to her classroom.

Bedecked in her new fall outfit, her feathers looking great with their auburn highlights, Octavia prepares for a new group of students, young minds she can inspire and ignite with her passion for learning. Some students will be scared, nervous to be away from home. Others will be defiant, challenging her at every turn. Then there are the know-it-alls who don’t give other students a chance to speak. The deeply troubled students who live in dysfunctional homes touch Octavia’s heart most of all. All of her new students will need kindness, patience, love, and encouragement. They will need someone who believes in them even when they don’t believe in themselves.

Octavia stands in her classroom and surveys her new autumn themed wall displays and activity centres as the bell rings. She listens to the chaotic shouting and foot pounding in the hallway. As the door opens, children rush in, jostling each other. A young hedgehog is crying because her hair has been pulled. A little rabbit has hidden under a desk. Octavia relies on her years of experience and her skillful classroom management as she writes her name on the board and calms her class, “Good morning. My name is Mrs. Owl. Each desk has a name plate. Please find the desk with your own special name plate, and take a seat. Who wants to play a game with coloured jelly beans?”

Octavia Owl feels a touch of melancholy as her summer break comes to an end. What a wonderful summer it was! The camping trip with her dear grandchildren, the shopping trip in the city with her sister, relaxing days at home working in her garden, renovating the kitchen with her husband, reading books late into the night free from alarm clocks. Cherished memories to carry with her as she returns to her classroom.

Bedecked in her new fall outfit, her feathers looking great with their auburn highlights, Octavia prepares for a new group of students, young minds she can inspire and ignite with her passion for learning. Some students will be scared, nervous to be away from home. Others will be defiant, challenging her at every turn. Then there are the know-it-alls who don’t give other students a chance to speak. The deeply troubled students who live in dysfunctional homes touch Octavia’s heart most of all. All of her new students will need kindness, patience, love, and encouragement. They will need someone who believes in them even when they don’t believe in themselves.

Octavia stands in her classroom and surveys her new autumn themed wall displays and activity centres as the bell rings. She listens to the chaotic shouting and foot pounding in the hallway. As the door opens, children rush in, jostling each other. A young hedgehog is crying because her hair has been pulled. A little rabbit has hidden under a desk. Octavia relies on her years of experience and her skillful classroom management as she writes her name on the board and calms her class, “Good morning. My name is Mrs. Owl. Each desk has a name plate. Please find the desk with your own special name plate, and take a seat. Who wants to play a game with coloured jelly beans?”

Legend has it that when the air turns chilly and the nights grow long, you can hear the song of the Enchanted Snowbird, echoing through the juniper trees, calling the frost and the ice to come nestle under her wings. She soars upon the clouds of December and brings with her the first magical snowfall of the season. The longer she lingers, the colder it gets, so as beautiful as she is, you may not want her to stay too long, or you might not thaw out until next year!

Arnold was the runt of his litter, so naturally he’s a little uncertain about making his way in the world, especially on the frozen ground of the treeless Arctic Tundra! Sure, his beautiful blue scarf keeps his neck nice and warm, but his tender little paws are a tad hesitant about stepping out onto the ice… All Arnold really needs is a friend, to brave the big world with. Will you be his friend?

What's that I hear rustling in the grass? Is it a mousie? They make such a cute sound when they squeak. Or maybe a bunny? I just love bunnies when they hop. It makes me get all bouncy trying to catch them. If I move very quietly I can sneak up on it and pounce on it. Hopefully it will want to play with me too! I'm just going to stay close to the ground and hide in this tall grass so it doesn't see me. I want to surprise it. Everybody loves surprises, right?

Whispering silently
Touching down lightly to your
Door, please come inside.

The Whiskered Walrus of PnF is a hearty soul who enjoys basking in the sunshine or snuffling along the ocean floor in search of tasty tidbits with highly sensitive vibrissae (aka whiskers). These proud pinnipeds are only exceeded in size by their cousins the elephant seals (who always manage to block the buffet table at family reunions!) In spite of the massive tusks, the Whiskered Walrus is a gentle soul, always ready to lend a flipper to pets in need, share a snack of mollusks and seaweed or blow a whiskery, fishy scented kiss!

Meng, meng da! (So cute!) Did you know baby pandas are traditionally named at six-months-old? Some famous baby panda names include Bao Bao (Treasure/Baby), Zhen Zhen (True), and Hua Mei (China-America). Our baby panda, who has the most adorable love-me eyes ever, is at just the right age for a new family and his or her very own name. We can’t wait to see what you choose! Is he a shuaige (handsome guy), or a meinu (beautiful girl)? Let us know!

Oh, hello! You’d like to know about me? Well, sometimes I get a lil’ sleepy and sometimes I feel awfully shy, but mostly I feel playful, because I’m so happy to be alive! There’s so much to see and so much to do, there’s so many different animals, and well, there’s even you! I’m so curious about everything! Why do daisies taste different than tulips? Why do raindrops tickle when they splash on your nose? Why do I get sad when the butterflies fly away? Will you help me find the answers?

Do you want an autograph? I am the world’s greatest rock star, after all. Let me just ask my security guards to bring me something to write with, so I can sign whatever it is you want. Surely, your life will be so much better now that you have met a famous bird! I love playing music, being on stage, and making my groupies happy! Nothing brings me more joy than to put on a show, let out some loud squawks, and see my fans flapping their wings to the beat of my music! You have no ticket to my upcoming show you say? No worries! I happen to have an extra! Here you go! One of the perks of being me, is, I can get almost anything I want…including tickets to my own show!

Do you want an autograph? I am the world’s greatest rock star, after all. Let me just ask my security guards to bring me something to write with, so I can sign whatever it is you want. Surely, your life will be so much better now that you have met a famous bird! I love playing music, being on stage, and making my groupies happy! Nothing brings me more joy than to put on a show, let out some loud squawks, and see my fans flapping their wings to the beat of my music! You have no ticket to my upcoming show you say? No worries! I happen to have an extra! Here you go! One of the perks of being me, is, I can get almost anything I want…including tickets to my own show!

Tweet, twitter, tweet, tweet! Hello, we meet again. This? Oh, I am just trying on an eggshell I found. If I add some flowers, it will make a great spring hat—don’t you think? It will certainly work until Bob creates his new hat design.

I am sorry, I don’t think there is an eggshell big enough to make you a hat too. We could try to weave some leaves and flowers together to make a nice circlet that you could wear.

How about we go to town and get some popcorn? I know of a stall that has the best popcorn.

Bzz bzz. Hello! I am busy from the moment the sun peeks its golden head up from its bed to the moment the moon tells the sun it is time to sleep again. Finding flowers is my main job, and I work very hard. I use colour, scent and electrical signals to find that sweet pollen and nectar.

Like you, I have chores inside the hive, it must be kept clean of debris, and I have to make the little pots that hold the honey. Then there is processing the nectar and pollen into honey and keeping the hive warm at night.

Please don’t worry if you see me, I am so busy going about my duties for the day, but if I should come to peek at you, it may be because you are sweating. Sweat is sweet to bees, so don’t swat at me. Go about what you are doing, I may land on you to sip that sweet sweat, but I am not interested in hurting you. Oh! If you could plant some flowers for me, that would be a tremendous help. I must buzz off now and continue my work.

Bzz bzz. Hello! I am busy from the moment the sun peeks its golden head up from its bed to the moment the moon tells the sun it is time to sleep again. Finding flowers is my main job, and I work very hard. I use colour, scent and electrical signals to find that sweet pollen and nectar.

Like you, I have chores inside the hive, it must be kept clean of debris, and I have to make the little pots that hold the honey. Then there is processing the nectar and pollen into honey and keeping the hive warm at night.

Please don’t worry if you see me, I am so busy going about my duties for the day, but if I should come to peek at you, it may be because you are sweating. Sweat is sweet to bees, so don’t swat at me. Go about what you are doing, I may land on you to sip that sweet sweat, but I am not interested in hurting you. Oh! If you could plant some flowers for me, that would be a tremendous help. I must buzz off now and continue my work.

*munch munch munch* G' day, mate! Welcome to my grove! Care for some yummy Eucalyptus? It's my favourite. Gum leaves are delicious. But sadly, there aren't as many trees here in the Outback as there used to be. I hope some kind folks will plant more for me, because I'm always hungry. And I use all my trees...I have one tree for snacking, one for resting, one for spying on the neighborhood, one for throwing parties...okay, that last one might not be true. I don't entertain much because I like to sleep. A lot. In fact, you're lucky I'm awake right now! I may resemble a bear, but I'm actually a marsupial...there's a lot of us in Australia. We had pouches before it was cool. Now it's all the rage, or so they tell me. Now if you'll pardon me, it's time for another nap!

I'm stealthy! I'm a Ninja, moving silently on my paws and WHOOPS! Sorry about that glass! It shattered pretty quickly. Ho hum, I guess the closest I'll ever be to a ninja will be my Halloween costume! There's a rumor going around that all orange cats share one brain cell, so my turn must be coming soon, and when it happens, it'll be so much fun not to trip over my own tail!

Despite the constant crowds, I try my best to ignore them all when it's time for my bihourly swim. Thankfully other pets don't seem to mind and give me a wide berth without even asking! They're so considerate. I'll have to find a way to thank them. Maybe I could invite them over for dinner...