Hello everyone,
Today I am back with a new story! This one is long overdue (like all of them lately, haha...); I started working on it some months ago, but took a long break due to Vega's (our new puppy's) arrival. I am very happy to finally be sharing it with you.
This story features the grey and white bear family, whose surname is Woodbury in my village of Arcfield. They have quite an unique lifestyle compared to the rest of the villagers, as you will see in the story.
I tried to cover several of this year's Sylvanian Families Collectors Forums challenges' prompts, namely Field Trip, Fishing and Beat the Heat.
I hope you enjoy the story and pictures!
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In the village of Arcfield the ones in charge of driving the bus that takes both locals and visitors in and out of the village of Arcfield are the Woodbury couple, Yvonne and Henry.
First thing in the morning, after getting their bus ready, they drive to the village's bus stop to pick up the commuters that work in the Town.
Today, the ones waiting patiently, as usual, are Charles Hunter-Smyth and Basil Hazelwood, who work as a banker and a chef, respectively. Yvonne and Henry alternate being driver and conductor, but the one thing they both always do is to have a warm smile and a pleasant chat ready for everyone boarding their bus.
A bit later in the morning, the Woodbury couple return to Arcfield to drop off any visitors from the Town and pick up the local children to take them to the school, which is also outside of the village.
The young ones are always impatiently waiting and excitedly chatting with each other. Some mornings, especially when he hasn't had time to have his second cup of coffee yet, Henry can't help but wonder, with a tired smile, where could these children get so much energy from.
Yvonne's daughters, Angela and Harriet, don't actually attend the school with the other children, as they're home-schooled. Today, however, they've come to the bus stop bring their parents their lunch!
"Muuum, you're so absent-minded!", grumbles Harriet, always annoyed at her parents and sister's easy-going antics." You really need to pay more attention!"
"I'm so sorry, my love" smiles Yvonne. "I'll try. But please, promise me you'll try to relax a bit as well".
Angela giggles, and Harriet grumbles again. The two sisters wish their parents a good day at work before returning home.
"Is everyone ready?" asks Henry, as happily as if the children were going to the best party ever.
Everyone cheers and enthusiastically says "YES!". The Woodbury couple likes to make sure that the children enjoy their ride to and back from school. And they quite succeed!
After a few more bus trips and getting the children back to the village once the school day is over, the Woodbury couple pick up their baby son Oliver from nursery school and go back home to their daughters.
It turns out, however, that their home is not a typical house, but a clearing with a small pond in the mysterious woods surrounding Arcfield.
Their bus, is, in fact, also where they live; it doubles as a tiny house. The seats can be taken out and exchanged for the few pieces of very versatile furniture they own and keep in the trunk; everything is removable and adaptable, made especially for them. It all works perfectly for this family who prefers a simpler lifestyle surrounded by nature.
The Woodbury family do have an outdoor table with a grill, but if they want to eat inside, the bus can be turned into a comfy living/dining room with a tiny kitchen where the family can eat, hang out, or, in the case of the girls, work on their home-schooling assignments.
When night falls, the table area can also be converted into a comfy bed for Yvonne, Henry and baby Oliver. The girls are happy to sleep in their hand-made hammocks!
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One particularly sunny morning, the end of the school year fast approaching, the children of Arcfield receive a very upsetting last-minute announcement: a field trip they had all been looking forward to has been cancelled due to the teacher who was supposed to accompany them getting sick.
But Henry and Yvonne Woodbury, the bus drivers, won't just let everyone be disappointed; they decide to still pick the children up and take them on a field trip of their own, to the beautiful clearing in the woods where they live with their daughters and son.
The children of Arcfield excitedly get down from the bus to begin exploring the area. They are quite happy at the sight of the pond! Harriet, Angela and Oliver Woodbury are also delighted to have so many friends to play with today!
Once everyone and all the supplies are out of the bus, it's time for the fun to start!
Isabella Hunter-Smyth is amazed at the grill on the outdoor table, where
Yvonne is already getting an early lunch started.
Fiorella Andes has challenged Freya Chocolate to a jump-rope competition, and even though nobody seems to be as intense as her about it, Frances Robinson looks a little worried!
Julia Nielsen has brought a small cooler with ice-cream from her parents' shop, and her best friend Cleo López is already digging in!
In the meantime, looks like Henry is teaching the boys how to fish. Seems like they might have something to grill for lunch! Pablo López is very excited as Hector Hunter-Smyth nervously holds the fishing rod, trying to stay concentrated!
As Harriet Woodbury and Livia Spinelli, who are getting along like a house on fire, hunt bugs in the background, Coco Chocolate is only interested in swimming!
The morning has passed, lunch time has arrived, and everybody gathers round to enjoy a well-deserved and fun meal in the company of friends.
The children stay for a few more hours and have a wonderful time at the Woodbury family's clearing in the woods. No one even remembers about the field trip they were originally supposed to go to! I'm sure a lot of these children will be returning to the clearing to visit the Woodbury family and have fun in the woods and the pond during the long summer holidays ahead.
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I hope you enjoyed this simple story. There wasn't much of a plot, and yet it took so long to finish! Sorry about that.
I don't usually include a lot of figures in my pictures, but this time I tried my best, since half-way through I had the idea to feature all of the children I have introduced in my Arcfield stories so far (and then noticed I completely forgot about poor Miss Tiffany Grande! Maybe she's not enrolled at the same school as everyone else yet? Or maybe she didn't want to go on the field trip at all, haha!).
I want to send special thanks to my dear friend Berna, who not only made the casual outfits for Yvonne and Henry, but also the special modular seats and table for the bus, and even the hand-stitched hammocks! Thank you so much, Berna!
For this story I made a bus shelter following the tutorial included in a past issue of the SF Club Magazine. Thank you Cutata for sending it to me!
I had a bit of trouble and it's not perfect by any means, but I had fun making it and I think it served its purpose for this story. :)
I will be going away on vacation this week, as I told you on my calendar post for the month. I wonder if I'll have any Sylvanian stowaways on my luggage...?
I hope you all have a wonderful rest of July. Stay safe and healthy!
