The Cozy Shivers

When my grandchildren were small, we sometimes entertained each other by making up stories. Such was the case one cold, winter day several years back. “Let’s tell scary stories,” I said. “OK,” they agreed. I went first. I thought I was doing pretty well, building up to an exciting and shivery climax. “Mem, that’s not […]

Buz and the Star

Buz the Fox   You see, it might have happened this way: once upon a time, about two thousand years ago, some foxes dwelt in the hill country and plains around Bethlehem. I hate to tell you this, but it was their custom to follow, at a discreet distance, the flocks of sheep that shepherds […]

Dear Me, Santa

Mrs. Claus: Are you feeling better, Dear? How about a nice, hot cup of coffee? Santa (throwing back the quilts and rolling out of bed): Just what I need. The trip was hard this year. Mrs. Claus: Did the reindeer behave? Was the sleigh over-loaded? Did you face a head-wind? Santa: Yes, no, and no. […]

Little Cedar and the Big Storm

Fierce winds tugged at Little Cedar. His scrawny boughs bent and swayed but he dug his roots deeper and hung onto the rock buried beneath the mountain soil. “The wind is so cold,” said Little Cedar. He shivered from his topmost limb to the bottom of his twisted trunk. “It must be nearly Christmas again.” […]

The Christmas Barn–Conclusion

The cold wind blew their leaves away. The three friends shivered and wished for day. “We can’t just do nothing,” the raccoon said. “Come on, squirrel and chipmunk. Let’s go  a bit farther. Maybe we’ll find food.”      Sighing, the squirrel straightened up and took Chipmunk’s hand. On they went, through the cold night. They […]

The Christmas Barn

The Christmas Barn The 200-year old barn sat empty and lonely. No longer did horses stamp their feet inside his walls; cows didn’t warm the stalls with their breath; no sheep snuggled against each other to sleep the night away.      The barn missed these animal friends. He missed the  chickens who used to gossip […]