Story Hour
Puppies in the Wood Pile
Written by Gene B. Williams
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It was May. The winter snow and cold were gone. Everything was becoming very green, speckled with colorful blooms and flowers. Jake and Susan were excited because now they could go out to play without first having to put on thick coats, clunky boots, mittens, scarves, hats and so on.
Soon it would be Mother’s Day. They’d already started to make some special presents. Susan made a picture frame from twigs, glue and some ribbon. It framed one of her school photos. Jake used construction paper to make a Happy Mother’s Day card that, when you opened it, a paper flower popped up. Both were going to collect the best real flowers they could find and give Mom a beautiful, fragrant bouquet.
These were good presents. Mom would love them. She loved everything they made. Even their drawings – which often weren’t the best – were placed on the refrigerator with pride.
Susan was 6, and Jake would be 8 that summer. They felt old enough to do something even more special this Mother’s Day than ever before. They’d be sure to clean their rooms. Mom would get breakfast in bed. Jake thought it would be nice to paint the house, but Dad said no to that idea real fast.
It all would have been perfect, but they were worried about Annie. Annie was Mom’s golden retriever. Well, not just Mom’s. She was a loving family dog, gentle and usually playful with everyone. They thought of her as “Mom’s dog” simply because that’s how Annie seemed to think of herself. She slept at Mom’s feet. When they came home after being gone, Annie would greet Mom first.
Lately Annie had been less energetic. Less playful. She had taken to sleeping more, and when awake would be snooping around to find quiet hiding places. She wasn’t interested in playing ball. No wonder she was getting fat.
Jake was very worried. Susan was too young to remember, but he remembered another dog that slowed down and wanted to be left alone. That dog had also taken to hiding. It wasn’t long before had to bury the dog out behind the garage. Jake hated the memory. Annie wasn’t even an old dog.
On Saturday afternoon, with just one day to go before Mother’s Day, Susan came up with an idea. “Mom loves Annie,” she said. “Let’s make Annie a collar from pretty flowers.”
“That’s a good idea,” Jake said. “Mom will like that, and it might even cheer up Annie … if we can find her.”
“I’ve seen her out by the wood pile,” Susan said. “She has a little cave behind it.”
Sure enough, when they went to the wood pile, there was Annie. Fat Annie! She was nestled behind the wood pile. She was panting. Jake brought her a dish of water, but she didn’t seem interested.
When they told Dad, he just smiled and said, “Annie is fine. She’s not sick. You’ll see. Just leave her alone.”
It wasn’t much of an answer, and it didn’t help, but it had to do. Besides, they had things to do. So many things that bed was welcome that night – and so was the sun in the morning. And again there were so many things to do. It was Mother’s Day!
With Dad’s help they made and served breakfast, with a vase of wild flowers and the presents they’d made.
“Happy Mother’s Day!” they both said.
Afterward, they did some cleaning around the house for Mom. She would come in to see what they’d done.
“Happy Mother’s Day!”
They played games. Dad had them help him make a wonderful dinner. Mostly they spent the day just being the best children they could possibly be.
The sun was going down, dinner was over, and so was Mother’s Day – at least they thought it was.
“I wonder where Annie is,” Mom said. “I haven’t seen her all day.”
“I know where she is,” Jake and Susan said at the same time. Together they went outside to the wood pile. They could see Annie in the dim light.
“Her tummy seems even bigger,” said Susan.
After a pause, Jake said, “Not only that, it’s wiggling.”
Mom turned on the flashlight she’d brought along. There was wiggling, but it wasn’t Annie’s tummy.
“PUPPIES!” Susan squealed.
“Dad and I wondered when it would be,” said Mom. She reached in and scratched the dog behind her ear. “Happy Mother’s Day, Annie.”
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| These schnauzer puppies were born and raised by one of Nicker’s friends, Deloris Willis. She owns Appy Horsey’s Appaloosas and Pets in Missouri. She raises horses, dogs, cats and bearded dragons (lizards) … but has no sea dragons. Yet! |
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| I just had to share more of Marci’s art. The two beagles are Belle and Sandy. Then come Golden Girl and Sleepyhead, both Golden Retrievers. |
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