I'll Catch You a Cloud

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

It had been a hard summer. Hot, humid, with very little rain. Crops were drying up in the fields, grass not maturing for hay; it definitely was going to be a hard winter. “Sweet pea its time to come in,” she shouted out the back door heading toward the stove.

Within moments a curly, blonde haired bundle of joy came rushing in the room. “Mommy, mommy, I found a new frog, can I keep it?” the little girl asked. “No, sweet pea, that’s gods creature it must remain where he left it, besides you need to eat and get ready for bed,” the heavy sound of worry lingered in her voice, “tomorrow is your first day of school.”

The evening passed as they carried out the their nightly routine; television, bath, story and then bed. All through the evening the little girl could tell her mom was worried, she could see it in the wrinkles on her face. As the little girl was put to bed, she reached up placed her arms around her mother’s neck and said, “Mommy it will be alright.” “I hope so sweet pea, now go to sleep, I’ll see you in the morning.”

The mother left the room, and returned her thoughts to the worry of what was to come. The little girl lay there in the dark remembering the picture of her mother’s worried face. “There must be a way to cheer mommy up,” she thought.

The sleep fairies were on the march and the little girl had to hurry. They were marching toward her eyelids when it hit her. “I know, tomorrow I will get mommy a present, presents always make her smile,” and with that the sleep fairies took control.

”Sweet pea, get up, time to go to school,” the mother heard herself saying. Not even the late night storms had washed away the worry from her heart. She so loved storms and thought, “Wonder if my sweet pea heard them?”

Just then the little girl came bouncing down the stairs. Headed straight to the table and plopped down. The little girl did not hear her mother asking the question; she was deep in thought envisioning presents to cheer her up.

“Sweet pea, sweet pea, did you hear the storms?” she heard her mother ask with the worry still there in her voice. Glancing up and before she could respond, something out the window caught the little girls eye. “What’s that?” she asked pointing to the window and without warning flew out the back door.

Barely noticing as her sweet pea had left, it was the banging of the door that brought her back. “What on earth?” she thought. Dropping the toast and following the child to the back door, she turned on a light. The storms had brought in fog and the sun was just raising its head.

”Sweet pea, what on earth are you doing?” she cried. There in the middle of the fog stood the child; arms wide open, spinning with joy. The little girl shouted with glee, “Mommy look what god sent me.” “What do you mean god sent you?” the mother asked. “He knew I was looking for you a present and he sent me clouds. I’m going to catch you one to cheer you up.”

We all need someone to catch us clouds. I hope your day is full of someone catching clouds for you.


I just had to write something and the little girl catching clouds actually happened to a friend of mine. Hope you don’t mind.

Illustration By: Lune_Merveille on PhotoBucket
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15 comments:

Summer Ross said, 

Jules this was adorable...if you fixed it all up you could put it in for a kids story. its a really neat story, I loved the clouds as presents.

August 25, 2010 at 1:59 PM  
Ginny the Sock Monkey said, 

Ha, the little bit about the frogs reminded me of these two girls I nannied last summer. We were outside and noticed that some little boys had climbed into the deep window wells of our house. Concerned for their safety, I asked what they were doing. Turns out they were rescuing frogs that had found their way into the window wells of every house in the neighborhood. They rescued at least two or three from our own window well.

I wanted to let my girls run wild with them but knew their mom wouldn't approve. I would have gone with them myself if I could have!

August 25, 2010 at 2:19 PM  
Tammy said, 

Very sweet. If you get a chance, there's a "cloud" (good kind, I hope) at my blog for you today: http://messageinabloggletheartofbeingbroken.blogspot.com/

August 25, 2010 at 3:55 PM  
N. R. Williams said, 

How often we forget the joys of childhood. Your story reminds me of mine.
Nancy
N. R. Williams, fantasy author

August 25, 2010 at 4:02 PM  
Unknown said, 

What a beautiful story about clouds. Did you draw that picture at the top, it's lovely in a sad sort of way. I wonder who will catch me a cloud today.

CD

August 25, 2010 at 4:14 PM  
Anonymoussaid, 

jules,the story is awesome,i read it to skyler she wants to know how you saw her catching clouds that day & thinks it's very cool to have a story written about her :) thank you soooo much we love it!!!!

August 25, 2010 at 4:21 PM  
RHYTHM AND RHYME said, 

This was wonderful Jules and I could imagine all you wrote,

Take care.
Yvonne.

August 25, 2010 at 4:49 PM  
Jules said, 

I'm so glad you guys enjoyed my story, especially Anonymous. She is the subject of this story. I just needed to write!

Clarissa, no I did not draw the picture but I gave credit at the bottom. I do sketch but my scanner is broke.

Tammy, thanks for the award. Your a sweetheart :D

August 25, 2010 at 9:52 PM  
Anonymoussaid, 

I like the immediate refernce to weather. Hot, humid, little rain. This is miserable weather and tells me little to no relief is in site. Really helps the setting for the reader.

Stephen Tremp

August 25, 2010 at 10:19 PM  
Olivia J. Herrell, writing as O.J. Barré said, 

Jules, this is beautiful. So sweet and poignant. And I love the little girl catching clouds for her mother. What a beautiful thought.

Great piece, that rebel, Olivia

August 26, 2010 at 12:32 AM  
Arlee Bird said, 

Ah, the innocence of childhood. Seems like my daughters became adults so quickly. I miss having kids around like that. But there's always grandkids.

That was a nicely told tale.

Lee
Tossing It Out

August 26, 2010 at 1:37 AM  
Jules said, 

Thank you Stephen.

Olivia and Lee, thanks for the kind words, glad you liked it.

August 26, 2010 at 7:53 AM  
Becky Fyfe said, 

That was a very sweet post. Thank you. :)

August 26, 2010 at 9:26 AM  
Eric W. Trant said, 

Jules, that's a cute story. I love the nickname you used, rather than naming the characters. I've been giving nicks a lot of thought these past few days, how the nick itself is more powerful than the actual name.

Because not just anybody can be a Sweet Pea, see.

Nice snip.

- Eric

August 27, 2010 at 7:04 AM  
Glynis Peters said, 

Lovely story, so innocent. Thanks for sharing.

September 8, 2010 at 8:41 AM  
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