Official Blog of Kristy Gherlone

Heartfelt stories
Official Blog of Kristy Gherlone
  • Contact
  • About
  • Tag: childrensstory

    • Sassafras and Valentine’s Day

      Posted at 11:43 am by writergherlone, on January 24, 2018

      IMG_8230

       

       

      Sassafras and Valentine’s Day

      By Kristy Gherlone

      IMG_0106

      It was Valentine’s Day and Sassafras was sad. She wanted to get something special for her Daddy, but she didn’t have any money.

      IMG_8121

      “What’s wrong, Sassafras?” her mother asked, noticing how unhappy she seemed.

      “It’s Valentine’s Day, but I don’t have anything for Daddy. How will he know that I love him if I don’t buy him a present?”

      “Daddy knows that you love him. You don’t have to buy gifts to show someone how much you care. There are lots of other ways to do that.”

      “Like how?” Sassafras asked.

      “Well, you could make him a card, if you like. I’m sure he would love that.”

      “That’s a great idea!” Sassafras brightened.

      A

      She gathered some art supplies and got to work.

      C

      Carefully, she cut out colorful hearts and pasted them to the paper she had folded.

      IMG_8106

      Next, she used crayons to write what she wanted to say.

      “How’s it going in there?” Sassafras’s mother asked.

      D

      “Good, but I don’t want you to see until I’m all done.” Sassafras said, jumping onto the card to hide it. She wanted it to be a surprise.

      “That’s fine,” her mother laughed. “You know, when I was a little girl, my favorite Valentine’s were the ones that had treats inside.”

      E

      “I have just the thing!” Sassafras said.

      When she finished with the card, she called for her mother to see it.

      G

      “That is a lovely card, Sassafras. It came out very nice. What did you write?”

      D2

      “I wrote, ‘For Daddy, love Sassy.’

      “It’s very nice, but I thought you were going to add some treats?”

      “Well, I was going to share my worms, but I accidentally ate them.”

      Sassafras’s mother smiled. She knew that worms were her very favorite thing. “That’s okay. I think Daddy might like chocolates better anyway. I have some that you can give to him.”

      H

      “Oh, thank you! I think he will like those better.”  She chose a few and stuck them to the card.

      IMG_8121 “Can I give it to him now? She asked excitedely.

      “Of course. I think you’ll find him on the porch.”

      I

      “Wait! I have one for you, too!” Sassafras cried. She gave her mother the paper heart she’d made.

      “Why, thank you, Sassy! You’re so thoughtful.”

      “I know,” Sassafras giggled and went off to find her Dad.

       

      IMG_8181

      “Daddy! I made something for you!”

      Sassafras’s Dad was very happy with the card. He could tell how hard she’d worked on it.

      “Thank you, Sassy! That was very sweet of you.”

      “I made it because I love you.”

      IMG_8189

      “And I love you!” he said, giving Sassafras a hug. “Now we have something for you! Your mother has it in the kitchen. Go and see.”

      “Is it a present?” Sassafras asked.

      “It might be,” her Daddy smiled.

      “But Mama said you don’t need to buy presents to show someone how much you care.”

      “That is true,” he said, ruffling her feathers. “But we got you one anyway.”

      IMG_8134

      “Worms!” she cried happily.  “I love worms and presents and Valentine’s Day. But you know what I love most of all? You!”

      **A new short comedy story of mine has just been published! You can find “Piano Hoarding Christians” in Defenestration Mag!

       

      **NO part of this story may be copied or reproduced without written consent from the author.

      Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged childrensstory, ducks, family, familyfriendly, fiction, hearts, love, pekinduck, picturestory, shortstory, valentinesday
    • Sassafras Makes a Jack-o’-Lantern

      Posted at 12:12 pm by writergherlone, on October 19, 2017

      Sassafras Makes a Jack-o’-Lantern

      (story and pictures by Kristy Gherlone)

       

      IMG_0853

      “May I try on my Halloween costume and can we make a Jack-o’-Lantern?” Sassy asked one October morning.

      “Hmmm,” Sassafras’s mother smiled, noticing that Sassafras had already put on the costume, and had already gathered the pumpkins. “I guess it is almost Halloween. I suppose so. Let me get a knife and the things we’ll need.”

      IMG_0856

      “I can get the knife!” Sassafras offered. She was excited and eager to help.

      “No. You’d better let me get that,” Sassafras’s mother said. “Knives are sharp. You should never carve a pumpkin unless there is an adult around to help you.”

      IMG_0867

      Sassafras’s mother got the knife and stuck it into the top of the pumpkin. Sassafras began to cry.

      IMG_0106

      “What’s the matter Sassafras? Why are you so sad?”

      “I didn’t know you were going to kill the pumpkin!” Sassafras wailed, quite upset.

      “Aww, it’s okay,” Sassafras’s mother said, giving her a hug. “This pumpkin is not alive. I promise, I’m not hurting it at all.”

      “Are you sure?” Sassafras asked, still sniffling.

      “I’m positive. Pumpkins are vegetables. People grow them in their gardens for food and decoration. They are not like people and ducks.”

      “Oh. Okay,” Sassafras sighed with relief.

      IMG_0878

      Sassafras’s mother finished cutting a hole into the top of the pumpkin and Sassafras helped to remove the seeds that were inside.

      IMG_0880

      “These seeds are slimy, but they taste kind of good,” Sassy said.

      “Don’t eat too many,” Sassafras’s mother cautioned. “You’ll get a bellyache.”

      IMG_0882

      “I think there are more on the bottom.”

      “You are doing a great job. Make sure the pumpkin is nice and clean,” Sassafras’s mother said. “If you leave too many of the fibers inside, the pumpkin won’t last very long.”

      IMG_0888

      “I think that’s the last of them,” Sassafras declared. She had created quite a pile of seeds and fibers on the plastic bag.

      “We can roast some of the seeds later, after they dry out,  if you like. I think you will like those,” Sassafras’s mother said.

      “Yummy!” Sassy cried happily. Roasted pumpkin seeds sounded delicious.

      When Sassafras and her mother were finished carving the face on the Jack-o’-Lantern, Sassafras helped to carry it onto the porch.

      IMG_0892

      “Our Jack-o’-Lantern came out nice,” Sassafras said, proudly. “And now everyone can see.”

       

      I hope you enjoyed my story.  Sassafras is a wonderful pet and has a lot of patience for my nonsense. She is always paid for her participation in the form of worms and hugs.

      This was last years costume.

      IMG_6979

      Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged childrensstory, costumes, ducks, familyfriendly, fiction, Halloween, pekinduck, pumpkins, shortstory
    • Sometimes the Sun, Sometimes the Rain

      Posted at 12:30 pm by writergherlone, on July 28, 2017

      IMG_0009

       

      Sometimes the Sun, Sometimes the Rain

      By Kristy Gherlone

       

      Ah and Bao were two little slippers, crafted on a day so fine, the sun glimmered in the sky like a brand-new penny. Ah saw it shining boldly over the tops of the adjacent buildings when the factory lady carried her over by the window. She took it as a sign of good luck. She was sure it meant that she and her sister Bao were destined for great things.

      The factory lady held her up to the light. Her eyes squinted as she finished the last of the hand stitching. “You sure are a cute little thing,” she grinned, pinching her nose, “some of my very best work,” she said proudly, snipping the last of the stray threads. “I bet you’ll go to a good home. Some little girl will be happy to have you.”

      She brought Ah back over to her work table and set her down next to Bao.

      “Where do you think we’ll end up?” Bao asked excitedly as soon as the factory lady walked away.

      “I don’t know,” Ah whispered back. Her tummy was full of butterflies thinking about all the possibilities.

      “Maybe Australia, or Mexico, or even Italy! It could be anywhere!”

      “Yes,” Ah said, speculating, “maybe.” Her mind wandered to exotic places where the breezes were warm and the wild animals napped under the shade trees.

      “Do you think we’ll go by plane or by boat?” Bao asked.

      Ah didn’t have the chance to answer, not that she knew the answer, because the factory lady had come back. In her hands, she held a polka dot box.

      Ah was fidgety with nervous excitement as the factory lady scooped them up. She twitched and accidentally jumped out of lady’s hands. She landed with a soft thump on the floor. She held back a sneeze as the dust kicked up and tickled the inside of her nose.

      “Oh goodness,” the factory lady said, quickly picking her back up, “I hope you’re not hurt.”

      She turned Ah over in her hands. “No. Just a little dirty,” she seemed relieved. She brushed her off and set her into the box next to Bao. “You two stick together, now. No matter what happens, you must promise me that you won’t get separated,” she tucked them in securely with a piece of soft, pink tissue paper. “You won’t do anyone any good if you’re apart,” she added, closing the box.

      It was cozy and warm in there.  Before long, despite the excitement of the adventure ahead, Ah and Bao fell fast asleep.

      They slept all through the long and choppy boat ride across the ocean. They slept all through the narrow channels and passage ways that led into the shallower rivers, and they slept through the grating, grinding noises of the boat crashing against the city port dock.

      Ah and Bao didn’t wake up until the deck hands picked them up and hurled them onto the rough, wood- planked pier.

      “Are we here? Can you see anything?” Bao asked Ah, rubbing the sleepy bugs from her eyes.  She wiggled around, trying to see out, and rustled the paper.

      “Rats!” The deck hand hollered in surprise, seeing the box move.  He kicked it. The top flew off and Ah went soaring into the air. She landed in the mud very close to the edge of the water.

      “Huh,” the deck hand said shaking his head, when he didn’t find any rodents, “I guess not.” He went to retrieve Ah.  “It was probably just the wind,” he brushed her off, but she was dirty and a bit scuffed. He stuffed her back into the box and drew and X across the top with a black marker.

      “Is this box no good?” The sisters heard another man ask. They felt themselves being lifted into air.

      “They’ll be alright. Send ‘em over to discount. They’ll sell.”

      “Okay, boss.”

      Ah and Boa were tossed onto a truck. The smell of diesel and wood smoke was strong as they drove along. Ah’s dreams of wild animals and tropical places diminished with each passing mile. She shivered within the box. “It’s cold here,” she remarked.

      “It is,” Bao agreed, “but I guess we wouldn’t be needed in too warm a place.”

      “I suppose you’re right,” Ah sighed.

      The truck’s tires screeched as they came to a stop. The doors crashed open.

      “What do we have today?” A woman’s voice asked.

      “Just a bunch of slippers. Some of ‘em are damaged, but they’ll sell. Don’t you worry.”

      “Okay. Bring them on in.”

      Ah and Bao felt the warm air of the shop keeper store as they were brought in and placed on a shelf.

      All through the night Ah couldn’t stop thinking about what would happen to them. What kind of child would want her now that she was dirty and bruised?

      The next morning Ah and Bao heard the shop open. Voices chattered as people flooded in. Their box was opened and closed so many times, Ah was dizzy with it all. The many faces became a blur and to her dismay, no one wanted them.

      Day after day they sat on the shelf, looked at but never bought and each day their price was marked down a little further until they could be had for a mere fifty cents. Ah was starting to lose hope they would ever find their forever home.

      The sun shone brightly one morning after a long period of rain. Someone had left the box open just a tad, and Ah could see out. She took it as a good omen that it would be the day they would be going home, but just like the days before, their box was opened and shut. Opened and shut.

      Ah was starting to get sleepy about mid-afternoon when she heard the chimes on the shop- keeper’s door. She heard to approach of tiny foot prints.

      Their box was opened. Ah nearly gasped at the sight of the child’s face peering back at her. She was the most beautiful child Ah had ever seen, but she somehow she seemed so sad. It hurt Ah’s heart to see such suffering from such a small little girl.

      “Daddy?” Ah heard the little girls say in a small voice, “Daddy, look at the cute kitten slippers.”

      “Close that box,” he boomed, “we can’t afford such nonsense.  You’re getting new shoes for winter and that is it.”

      “But daddy, I’ve always wanted slippers,” the child’s voice was wistful, but defeated.

      “I told you no!” The father scolded. He snapped their lid shut. Ah heard the child sniffling as she was taken away.

      “It’s okay if she wants the slippers,” the shop keeper said kindly, “there’s no charge. They’ve been here a while and I don’t think they are going to sell after all.”

      Ah heard the little girl’s feet running towards them. She felt the sway as their box was lifted off from the shelf.

      “Bao!” Ah cried, “We’ve found a home! Isn’t that wonderful?”

      “Yes!” Bao said. “I’m so happy I could cry!”

      “You better not do that,” Ah laughed. “What good is a soggy slipper?”

      The little girl opened the box when she got home. Carefully, she took Ah and Boa out. She admired them. She smiled broadly before putting them on her feet.

      Each day, Ah and Bao shuffled up the stairs and down. Out to the mailbox and back again. Into the kitchen and into the bathroom. Into a sister’s room and into a brother’s. Never had Ah and Bao had such a time!

      Ah loved the little girl. She loved her giggle and her gentle touch. She loved the way her tiny little toes tickled her belly and the way she stopped to smile down at them throughout the day. Ah knew her life couldn’t have been any better if they had been shipped to a tropical oasis.

      One night, just before the little girl went to bed Ah heard her say a prayer., “Dear lord, please bless daddy, and grandma. Please bless mommy up in heaven and give her a kiss for me, and please keep my new kitty slippers safe because I love them. Thank you, Amen.”

      Ah got teary eye-d. She hugged the little girl so tightly before she jumped into bed, the little girl couldn’t get her off. She had to wear Ah and Boa while she slept!

      Later that evening, long after the stars and moon began to shimmer in the sky, and long after the little girl was fast asleep, Bao smelled something awful. It was a smoky, poisonous odor. She woke Ah up. Something was wrong!  Ah could tell that the little girl was still asleep. She wouldn’t normally act out, but she was worried. She folded herself in and bit the child gently on the pinky toe.

      “Ouch!” the little girl cried, awakening with a fright. She sniffed the air and jumped out of bed. “Daddy! Daddy!” she screamed. She smelled what Ah and Bao did! “The house is on fire!”

      Ah and Boa were hustled out into the cold, dark night. They rushed down the street and away from the heat.  Ah was shaken loose and slipped off the little girl’s foot. She could hear Bao and the little girl crying for her as they hurried away.

      The next morning Ah woke up on the cold, dirty pavement. She was alone and scared. She remembered what the factory lady had told them: “Don’t get separated. You won’t do anyone any good if you’re apart.”

      Ah didn’t care about herself, she could only think about the little girl and Bao. Ah knew she would be very sad without her, as she didn’t have very much to begin with and Bao wouldn’t be any good alone. She might even be thrown away!

      A steady rain began to fall. It collected on the streets and formed rivers on the sidewalk. Ah was nearly washed down a drain! She took it as a bad omen that all was lost. Her tears mixed in with the rain and were washed out to sea.

      “Daddy!!” Ah heard a small voice squeal. “I found it! I found my lost slipper!”

      Ah’s heart leapt as she sailed up into the sky!  The little girl had found her! She held Ah up and covered her with kisses. “I’m so glad I found you,” she whispered.

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

      Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments | Tagged children, childrensstory, familyfriendly, fiction, rain, sales, shortstory, slippers, sun
    • Introducing Sassafras!

      Posted at 12:16 pm by writergherlone, on July 7, 2017

      IMG_2226

      I’m not sure of how serious a venture this is, but I do enjoy writing small stories about my duck, Sassafras. 

      She is a willing participant and has been very popular on Facebook! I hope you find these occasional small stories enjoyable as well.

      Sassafras and…

      Home Is Where The Love IS

      by Kristy Gherlone

       

      IMG_9805

      “Mama, I have a question. Does everyone live in a house like ours?” Sassafras asked one spring morning.

      “Goodness, no,” her mama answered. “There are many different types of houses. Let’s take a walk around and see what we find.”

      IMG_9132

      “I think I found a house!” Sassafras called out excitedly. “At least it looks something like a house, but it’s very small.”

      “Right you are!” Sassafras’s mother said. “That is the chickadees house.”

      IMG_9143

      “I found another, but this one is blue!”

      “Very good! That is where the thrushes live.”

      IMG_9145

      “What about this, Sassafras? Do you think this could be a house?” Her mama asked.

      “Hmm,” Sassafras pondered, looking at the big pile of sticks. I didn’t look like any house she had ever seen. “I’m not sure.”

      “It is.” Her mama said. “This house belongs to a raccoon. Some creatures use leaves, sticks, and mud to make their homes.”

      Sassafras wrinkled her nose. “That doesn’t sound very comfortable.”

      “Well, I’m sure they think so,” her mama laughed.

       

      IMG_9170

      “I know this is a house!” Sassafras exclaimed proudly. “I’ve seen Mrs. Robin sleeping here.”

      “Great job, Sassy! You are right! You have found the Robin’s house.”

      “When her eggs hatch, maybe Mrs. Robin will let me babysit,” Sassafras giggled.

      IMG_9152

      “There is a hole in the ground. Could something live here?” Sassafras asked.

      “Watch for a moment and see if anything comes out,” her mama said.

      Sassafras stood over the hole and waited. “Ants!” She cried. “I think this is an ants house!”

      “Very good, Sassafras!”

      IMG_9138

      “I found our house again!” Sassafras cried. “I like it the best.”

      IMG_9807

      “Just remember, Sassafras…It doesn’t matter where you live as long as you are loved.”

      Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments | Tagged childrensstory, ducks, education, familyfriendly, fiction, nature, pekin, picturebook, shortstory
    • Recent Posts

      • On the River in the Sun
      • Hot and Sour
      • English Tea and Crawdads
      • Wawetseka
      • Piano Hoarding Christians
    • Categories

      • Uncategorized (59)
      • shortstory (4)
      • #prose (3)
      • nature (2)
  • Search

  • My Facebook author page

    Facebook

  • My Twitter page

    Twitter

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • Official Blog of Kristy Gherlone
    • Join 4,415 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Official Blog of Kristy Gherlone
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...