Our Library Haul

(211 words)

Thanks Susanna for these fun contests!

Happy Valentiny-ing Everyone!

It was Valentine’s Day! The sun was smiling, the sky was singing, and the clouds were feeling extra bubbly. Except RC. He was feeling nimbifirous. He wanted to find a parade, or a picnic, or a shiny, clean car -and rain on it. He was tired of being the one nobody wanted around. The cloud that made everyone complain.

“Rain! Rain! Go away!” the kids sang.

“Rain? Again?” The grown-ups complained.

Wherever he went, people wished him away.

“Well not today!” RC thundered, and he blew away, gray and lumpy. Angry. Sad. Alone.

Down below one tiny flower waved at him.

He moved lower. “Quit waving at me.” RC rumbled.

“I’m not waving at you. I’m asking for your help,” replied Tiny Flower.

“Why should I help you?” scoffed RC.

“Don’t you see how thirsty I am? I am about to die of thirst! I need your water!” the Tiny Flower said.

“You’re asking for rain?”

“Yes. Please.”

“You mean, you’re happy to see me?”

“Happy? I’m thrilled! Now please give me a drink!”

“Coming right up!” RC let go of his rain, all of it, in one long WHOOSH.

“Thank you!” said Tiny Flower, “I feel so much better!”

“So do I,” said RC, “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

“Happy Valentine’s Day.”

Well folks, welcome to my very first ever post. I’ve been quietly working on creating this blog. I want it to be mostly for parents, but also a little bit for my fellow writers.

Anyway. There is a Holiday Writing Contest happening. I do love a good contest! So here we go! I hope you enjoy!

A Real Christmas Tree

(350 words)

Wandering through the snowy tree rows at Terry’s Tree Farm, Deer felt hungry. She stopped to munch.

“Oh no. Not me!” said the tree. “I am a Christmas tree. I must be perfect. You will ruin my fullness.”

“I will feed you,” said another tree. “Come here.”

Deer ate, and was full.

Sprinting through the snowy tree rows at Terry’s Tree Farm, Squirrel was being chased. He jumped for safety.

“Oh no. Not me!” said the tree. “I am a Christmas tree. I must be perfect. You will snap my branches.”

“I will shelter you,” said the other tree. “Come here.”

Squirrel jumped again, and was safe.

Trudging through the snowy tree rows at Terry’s Tree Farm, Skunk needed to rest. He slumped against a trunk.

“Oh no. Not me!” said the tree. “I am a Christmas tree. I must be perfect. You will make me stink.”

“You can rest here,” said the other tree. “Come here.”

Skunk rested, and felt renewed.

The two trees stood side by side as the Christmas tree season came. The one tree was full, rounded, and smelled pine-sweet. The other tree was a little bare, a little broken, and smelled a little stinky. The one was picked right away. The other was not.

Year after year it was the same. Nobody wanted a tree with broken branches and nesting squirrels who smelled a little skunky. The other tree grew tall. Unpicked. Unwanted.

Eventually a Woodcarver came. He took the too tall tree to his shop.

The other tree was excited! She would be a real Christmas tree! How she would glitter and glisten!

She did not know that she was meant for a different purpose.

Cut and carved, sanded to smooth the Woodcarver worked his magic.

This tree would not be a one-year wonder. She would be something far greater.

Displayed on a mantle, the place of most honor, a shepherd, a sheep, an angel. A cow, a goat, a camel. Three wise men, and another. All centered around a Mother and Child, so sweet and mild, nestled in the warmth of a manger.