Cactus Cody's Cloudy Day

Cactus Cody's Cloudy Day

by

Patches the Story Dog

Patches the Story Dog

A story about Sadness

for your Kindergartener

Kindergartener Sadness Classic Characters

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Cactus Cody, a young brave cowboy in a tan hat, red bandana, and brown boots, sits on the edge of his small wooden bed with his shoulders slumped and a sad look on his face. In the background, golden morning light streams through a small cabin window onto a simple wooden room.

The sun peeked over the red rocks of the canyon. Warm light filled the sky. Birds sang in the mesquite trees. It was a beautiful morning at the little ranch by the sparkling creek. But inside his cozy cabin, Cactus Cody did not feel beautiful at all.

Cactus Cody, a young brave cowboy in a tan hat, red bandana, and brown boots, presses one hand to his chest and looks down at the floor with a puzzled, sorrowful expression. In the background, a quiet cabin room with a wooden chair and a guitar leaning against the wall.

Cactus Cody felt sad. Not a little sad. A big, heavy, sitting-on-his-chest kind of sad. He looked around his room. Nothing bad had happened. Nothing was broken. Nobody had been mean. "Why do I feel this way?" Cody whispered. He did not know.

Cactus Cody, a young brave cowboy in a tan hat, red bandana, and brown boots, rides a chestnut horse with a white blaze on its nose along a dusty trail beside a sparkling creek. In the background, tall green saguaro cacti and bright orange and purple wildflowers dot the sun-drenched canyon.

Cody walked outside to the corral. His favorite horse nickered and trotted over. "Maybe a ride will help," Cody said. He climbed into the saddle. Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop. They rode along the creek, past tall saguaro cacti and colorful wildflowers. But the sad feeling stayed.

A worn wooden guitar with a tan leather strap and a small cactus sticker on its body rests across a pair of dusty knees on a sunlit porch. In the background, smooth red rocks and the sparkling creek shimmer in the warm desert light.

Cody rode back to the ranch and sat on the porch. He picked up his guitar. Strum, strum, strum. He played a happy song. He played a silly song. He played his very favorite song. But the sadness did not go away. It just sat there, quiet and heavy, like a stone in his pocket.

Buzzywhirl, a giant friendly insect with shiny green wings, a round blue-green body, big bright curious eyes, and many legs—one holding a tiny silver wrench—lands gently on the porch railing. In the background, the cozy ranch porch with wooden beams and a hanging wind chime.

Just then, a big shadow buzzed over the porch. Down flew Buzzywhirl! Buzzywhirl was a giant insect with shiny green wings and bright curious eyes. She loved to tinker and build things. Today she carried a tiny wrench in one of her many legs. "Howdy, Cody!" she called. Then she stopped. She tilted her head. "You look different today," she said softly.

Buzzywhirl, a giant friendly insect with shiny green wings, a round blue-green body, and big bright curious eyes, sits beside Cactus Cody on the porch step, leaning gently toward him. In the background, the sunny desert canyon stretches out with tall saguaro cacti under a wide blue sky.

Cody shrugged. "I feel sad, Buzzywhirl. And I do not even know why." He looked down at his boots. He felt a little silly saying it out loud. Buzzywhirl set down her tiny wrench and sat beside him. "You do not need a reason to feel sad," she said. "Sadness just visits sometimes. It visits everyone—even me."

Cactus Cody, a young brave cowboy in a tan hat, red bandana, and brown boots, looks up with a small glimmer of surprise in his eyes, one hand resting on his knee. In the background, the sparkling creek winds past smooth red rocks and bright wildflowers.

"Really?" Cody asked. "Even you?" Buzzywhirl nodded her big head. "Even me. One time I felt sad for a whole day. I did not know why either. But I told a friend about it, and that helped." Cody thought about that. Talking to Buzzywhirl already felt a tiny bit better than sitting alone.

A sparkling creek flowing over smooth red and orange rocks, with small ripples catching golden sunlight, and one shiny green insect leg dipping into the water at the edge of the frame. In the background, fluffy white clouds drift across a wide blue desert sky above the canyon.

They walked together down to the creek. The water sparkled and splashed over the smooth red rocks. Buzzywhirl dipped one of her many legs in the cool water. "Sometimes," she said, "sadness passes on its own—like clouds drifting across the sky." They both looked up. Fluffy white clouds floated by, slow and easy. "See?" said Buzzywhirl. "They come, and then they go."

A small, round, pale gray stone with faint copper-colored speckles resting in the open palm of a small hand wearing a brown leather wristband. In the background, the sparkling creek flows gently past colorful desert wildflowers.

"But what if the sadness does not go away?" Cody asked. Buzzywhirl picked up a small, round stone from the creek bed. "Then you can do something kind for yourself. Take a walk. Drink some cool water. Rest in the shade. Or talk to someone you trust—like you are doing right now." She handed the smooth stone to Cody. "Hold this. Feel how cool and nice it is."

Cactus Cody, a young brave cowboy in a tan hat, red bandana, and brown boots, closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, holding a small pale gray stone with copper speckles in both hands near his chest. In the background, warm golden light bathes the desert canyon with tall saguaro cacti.

Cody held the cool stone. He took a deep breath. The air smelled like warm sand and wildflowers. He listened to the creek go splash, splash, splash. "I still feel a little sad," Cody said. "And that is okay," Buzzywhirl said gently. "You do not have to fix it all at once. Sad feelings are part of life, just like happy ones."

Buzzywhirl, a giant friendly insect with shiny green wings, a round blue-green body, and big bright curious eyes, waves her many legs in the air as she tells a story, her wings buzzing with excitement. In the background, the sparkling creek shows rippling rings from a tossed pebble, surrounded by smooth red rocks.

They sat by the creek for a long time. Buzzywhirl told Cody a funny story about the time she tried to build a tiny hat for a lizard. Cody laughed—just a small laugh, but it felt good. He tossed a pebble into the water. Plop! Rings spread out across the creek, wider and wider.

Cactus Cody, a young brave cowboy in a tan hat, red bandana, and brown boots, stands beside Buzzywhirl, a giant friendly insect with shiny green wings and a round blue-green body, both looking out at a glowing desert sunset. In the background, the canyon walls glow orange and pink under a golden sunset sky streaked with soft clouds.

The sun began to set behind the canyon walls. The sky turned orange and pink and gold. Cody still felt a little blue inside. But he also felt something else—lighter. He knew the sadness would not last forever. Tomorrow the sun would rise again over the red rocks. And whatever he felt, Buzzywhirl would be right there, buzzing by his side.

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Kindergartener Sadness Classic Characters