(Excerpt from Tales From Heritage Farm)

Usually, when the little sunbonnet came in, she beamed warmly.  To lonely Rainbow she declared, “It feels so good to have Mistress use me.”  She continued with satisfaction, “I feel so special and important.”

Every once in a while a soft sigh came from the umbrella stand.  And, occasionally, a little whimper or sniffling could be heard.  “I’ve waited all winter to be taken out of storage just to be stuck  in this old umbrella stand,” moaned Rainbow.

Following the blue mood, anger would set in.  “Shadow gets to go out most every day. ” After the anger subsided Rainbow would say in a pitiful tone, “Farmer’s wife mustn’t like me as well as she likes Shadow.  What did I ever do to her?  Oh, why can’t I be as well-loved and important as the sunbonnet?  I don’t think anyone likes me.  At this rate, I’ll never know what it is like to do important work or to know fulfillment in life.”

One day there came a sharp thunderclap and the gray clouds began to dribble down droplets of rain.  PLINK, PLANK, PLINK!  In a short while the rains came down more steadily.  Plump raindrops slammed  into the window panes on the kitchen window.  Farmer’s wife  could see the world through the watery blur they left behind.

“All right!”  perked up the little umbrella.  With a broad grin she said, I’m going for a walk at last.  Hooray!”

Sketch by Wenda Grabau