The Barn Party By Geri Murray

It was a dark day on the farm. “There is a big storm blowing in from the north,” said Dad. “I need help to get the chicks, horse, and pets into the barn. They will be harmed if they are left in the yard.”

Lad started to bark at the far off thunder. Jess and Ben darted into the yard with alarm. Bart the big horse was eating a grass snack. Ben tugged on Bart’s mane, “Come on sport, I have oats in the barn for you.” Bart snorted at Ben. “Tug harder,” Mom yelled from the porch.

Ben ran to get a big pitch fork. He stuck it in a pile of hay and put it under Bart’s nose. Bart tagged after Ben to the barn, munching the hay. “Smart!” Mom yelled.

Dad and Jess had a hard job getting the chicks into the barn. “Let’s scatter this corn, and then catch them and put them in the cart,” said Dad. The hard part was keeping the chicks in the cart. They kept jumping out after the corn. “Put corn into the cart, and then run and get the tarp by the barn,” Dad ordered. “Smart!” Mom yelled. “You can tie it down with this cord.”

Mom had a hard time with the kittens. They had gone under the porch. “If I can force Scat out, then the kittens will start out after her.” Mom got a jar of fish. “Here you are, Scat.” Scat jumped out from under the porch. The kittens marched out in form, after her. Mom put them in a large box.

“This place is turning into an ark,” Jess said when Mom came in with the litter of kittens. Scat purred and darted into the barn. The thunder crashed in the yard. “We may have to stay in the ark,” Dad sighed as he watched the dark sky. Dad started to close up the barn.

“Arf! Arf!” Lad barked. “Lad wants to come to the barn party,” said Mom, as the rain started down hard.

“We can’t party in the dark,” said Mom. “Then let’s play hide and seek in the dark” Dad remarked. “Dad starts,” Ben yelled.

They all ran to hide from Dad. Lad barked and chased them. “No fair, Lad,” said Jess. “We can’t hide if you show him where we are.”

Dad lit a lantern, and there in the loft he saw his old guitar. “We can have a party. Come on, let’s sing some old farm tunes.” Lad moaned and barked while Dad played the tunes. Mom, Jess, and Ben clapped and sang.

The storm seemed to stop shortly after it started. Even the garden went unharmed. The chicks scattered back into the yard, and Bart had a drink of the fresh rain water. Mom, Dad, Jess and Ben were glad they had a rest from all the chores, even if it was short.

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