Abandoned - Small Town USA - Story 100

[Abandoned]

Chapter 15


  We began looking around for tree fellows in fall and thought we saw one or two among the fall foliage but weren't sure.  In winter, however, there was no doubt; I saw one over by the forester and greenhouse.  Dalan and Grantley saw one by the big pond when they went ice skating; Grantley could not wait to tell me about it when they got home, it was humongous.



  In early spring, Dalan and I saw the beach boys gathering chunks of ice off the pond.  It was no longer safe enough to skate upon so the boys were harvesting chunks of ice.  They put the ice chunks in carts and covered them with straw.  We gave permission for them to store the carts in our barn, under more straw.  Next, they had the woodcutter and blacksmith make special crates that had a door that opened and a metal tray inside at the bottom.  The boys put big chunks of ice in the crates and now perishable foods could be put inside to keep cold and last longer.  Well, weary traveler, what will they think of next?  First it was greenhouses and then railroad trains and stagecoaches, now ice boxes.  The ancestors would be truly amazed.  We were among the first to get one.

  Well, it gets even better.  Beachboy Gilber made a special box on wheels with an awning cover for the special treat his wife, Kanis, made.  She called it ice cream, peach ice cream.  Yes, ice cream made from milk from our cows and peaches from the fruit and nut patch.  We had an ice cream social at the chapel yard in late summer when the peaches ripened.  There was just enough ice left to keep the ice cream cold. It was delicious.  The caretakers made some umbrellas for the tables to add a bit of shade.  It was a very festive occasion, and I thought I saw another tree fellow.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 16
 
  Summer always seemed to end too soon, and then it was fall.  We had our Thanksgiving celebration, and then fall turned into winter.  The holidays brought more letters from folks back in Smallville but no more information about the ancestors, other than one brief mention that the mother of one of the survivors made slow-cooked wild oats with plum sauce for breakfast "just like grandma used to make".  I hadn't realized that one of our favorite breakfasts back in Smallville dated back that far.

   Then it was spring again and the wild oats were coming up; I wished I had a plum tree.  The asparagus was coming up too and, as usual, it went out of storage almost as soon as it went in.  We had another ice cream social but earlier in the year than the one the previous year so that the ice cream could be made with strawberries from the hedgerow behind the mill.  Yes, strawberry ice cream, delicious.

  Since the ice cream social was in early summer, we decided to have a harvest festival in late summer, a festival like the Hobbits have.  Of course, it was held in the chapel yard and surrounding area.  The men built tents and flags and it all looked very festive.  There was a Wheel of Fortune game in front of the town hall, and a music tent across from it.  I was amazed at how many townspeople took part in the talent contest. 







  At the first town meeting about the festival, it was decided that there would be a judging contest for produce, pies, jams, and linens.  That gave us plenty of time to prepare.  The entries were judged the morning of the festival and the winning entries were on display next to the food tent.  There was a corn roast and other good things to eat in the tent.  There was a booth giving out honeycomb candy and there was a puppet show in the school playground for the children.  Everyone had a good time, whether they came to compete or just to watch and eat.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 17


  The festival was a big success, especially the corn roast and the candy booth.  Everyone was sorry to see the tents and booths dismantled to be stored in the storage barn until next summer.  To compensate, in fall, a snack stand was built where the music tent had been.  The stand could bake apples or potatoes, and roast corn or chestnuts.  The warm snacks became favorites of the outside workers and the school children.   I often went to the stand to pick up baked potatoes for supper.





  Late autumn and early winter were cold and snowy.  The ponds froze solid early.  A stand serving roasted nuts was built by the skate booth by the big pond.  The stand was very popular with the skaters, but not for long.  The weather warmed; winter became mild with rain instead of snow.  The ponds thawed and skating ended for the season.  We had a few more cold days with snow but not enough to refreeze the ponds.  The skaters were not happy with the weather but the outside workers and the farm animals didn't mind at all.





The stonecutter took advantage of the early thaw and built a stone wall around the ancestor's memorial garden.  By spring there was a new Maypole and a bench inside the wall.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 18




  The warmer weather in late winter and early spring had the wildflowers coming up early; I dug up several wild flax plants and transplanted them in the Memorial Garden.  I had just finished when I saw 4 sleighs pulled by flying reindeer approaching from the north; they landed in the clearing behind the chapel.  There were 13 adults and 6 children all dressed in elf clothes. 





  The Elves claimed to have been sent by Santa on a mission to make our Christmas, and that of the Smallvillians, merry and bright.  Santa knows how much we have all done to help others over the years, doing little for ourselves.  Well, that was true: St. Nick filled the children's stockings with candy and fruit, and Santa brought them toys for Christmas.  There was a special chapel service with carols being sung on Christmas Day, but that was about it.  Back in Smallville, there was more work than play; there were always so many people who needed help.  But, the Smallvillians have been doing it for 100 years, why would Santa decide on now to reward us? 

  The Elves must have sensed our doubt; if the sleigh with flying reindeer and elf clothes weren't enough to convince us, maybe the gift from Santa would.  He saw, in his magic ball, the work we had done to honor our ancestors, and so, to honor us, he sent the plum tree I had wished for.  We were convinced that Santa sent the Elves.

If we had no objection, the Elves would set up their base of operations north of our forester's work area.  And, no worry, St. Nick and Santa will be here as usual.   That was a good thing because the children were always thrilled in the morning to wake to find that Santa had left gifts or that St. Nick had filled their stockings while they slept.  And who doesn't love reindeer?


  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yep2d7H974w

[Glenn]

With so any Christmas songs out there it must have been hard to chose   

[Abandoned]

  Actually, no, I planned to start the Christmas part of the story on Dec. 6th, St. Nicholas' Day and I immediately thought of this song with St. Nick in it.    Found the perfect video, Love those reindeer dancing. 

[Glenn]

  And for making such an excellent choice and for all your small town stories - You Ought to Be Congratulated   

Enjoy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVTybYzYoYo

[Abandoned]

  oh thanks  but now I am hungry 

[Abandoned]

Chapter 19




  We planted the plum tree, along with some hazelnut bushes, next to the Memorial Garden where there was room.  The stonecutter made a special marker on which he carved "Grandma of Survivor who made Plum Sauce with 3 cups diced plums, 3/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup water."  The stonecutter's wife knew the old family recipe and it was now engraved on the stone marker for future generations to see; we would need to order sugar from the river boatman. 



  The Elves got right to work; the first thing they built was a tiny stable for the reindeer a short distance behind the skate shack and roasted nut stand. A family moved into the stable to care for the reindeer.  Next to the stable a tiny shed was built.  We were amazed at how much the Elves unloaded from under the seats of the sleighs.  They even had sacks of magic feed corn for the reindeer to eat.





  It was late autumn before 4 families were settled in their houses, another family and a single young adult waited in the Rooms for their houses to be built.  The 4 houses were gingerbread houses.  They set up 2 Christmas baker oven in front of the houses to bake gingerbread cookies.  The Elves told us they wanted to bake cookies to give to the Smallvillians; enough cookies that they could not possibly give them all away and not have a special treat left for themselves. 



  Our builders were helping the Elves build the last 2 gingerbread houses.  Near the houses and baker ovens, the Elves built a sugar house; they would need sugar to bake the cookies, and of course, we were welcome to use whatever was in storage.  We would not need to order sugar from the boatman to make our plum sauce.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 20


  It had been another cold damp winter; some folks were not in the best of health.  The Elves too were suffering from coughs and colds.  We determined that it seemed to be those living closest to the river who were ill; the northeast wind blowing in off the cold river must have been responsible for the dampness.  We built a House of Healing in town behind the tailor.  There was some improvement but our overall health and happiness was still a bit low.



  The Elves gathered herbs and they built a spice house next to the sugar house.  We had some spices growing by the chestnut trees but the Elves needed more spices than that for their baking.   We built a fence around the nut patch to keep the nearby deer herd from nibbling our spices.





The Elves had been fence-building too, in part to keep the young children from roaming off.  A gingerbread school was built across from the sugar house and a gingerbread chapel was built behind the school.  A small storage barn was built down the road from our storage barn in town.  They were hoping that the school, chapel, and storage barn would cut some of the time the spent outside in the cold and dampness.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 21





  That summer of year 11, the Elves built Santa's Workshop behind the stable.  It would be easy to load the items unto the sleighs if Santa were in need of any of the items, otherwise the items were for our use.  The workshop would produce candy, gingerbread, ale, coats, tools, and firewood.   Those items would be very helpful, especially the tools; we traded logs, firewood, and seedling for iron when Larryll, the resource merchant, came to port. 



  Next, the Elves built a woolen mill on the river near the storage barn.  They said that warm winter woolies were what was needed to keep the coughs and cold away.  Again we had a cold rain in late autumn and found the winter woolies to be very nice indeed.  Another thing that would certainly help would be some nice warm winter wine.  The Elves built a grape house next to their storage barn.



  It was snowing by the time the Yule Tap tavern was built.  It was just outside the gate on the road that led to our storage barn and main road.  It was easy to get to, and quite enjoyable to sit by the big fireplace with a mug of warm mulled wine made with grapes and spices.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 22




  The following spring, 11 more Elves came to join the others.  There were 3 couples with 3 adult children and 2 young ones.  They came in one of Santa's warehouse sleighs that had special sacks that would keep the gingerbread cookies fresh for a long time.  The reindeer that pulled the sleigh joined the others in the stable and got an extra helping of magic feed corn.  A family with a 4-year-old and another on the way built a 2nd-floor house above the workshop.





  The Elves built 3 more shops and a food store on Yule Tap Road.   A vendor would bring an assortment of foods from the storage barns so more variety would be available to those living in the area.   A couple with an adult son and a young daughter opened a bake shop next to the food store, there was an assortment of baked goods to be had.  A couple with a newborn opened a candle shop on the other side of the food store; making our own beeswax candles in fall was one less thing we would have to do. 



  We would have an easier time getting firewood too; a wood store was built near the town hall by the turkey farm.  It was closer than the main stockpile.  We had 3 boys, ages 11, 9, and 7 who didn't mind going to the stockpile to fetch firewood, but others didn't.  It would be much more convenient for them especially in winter.



  It was snowing before the gift shop next to the candle shop was completed and a young single girl moved in to run the shop. One adult son remained in the Rooms.  The girl put a sign out front of the gift shop to let everyone know that winter woolies were available in the shop along with many useful household items.  Again, we wondered how those sleighs could hold so much. 



  The Elves built a gingerbread town hall by their sugar and spice houses.  Their records showed that in late autumn of year 12, Small Town had a population of 128: 76 adults, 28 students, and 24 young children; 11 of the adult Elves were working in tradition Santa's Elf's jobs.  All citizens were now happy and healthy. 

[Abandoned]

Chapter 23





  We also wondered how the Elves got the big green tree fellow here in the sleigh.  We did not see him at first, not until he took up watch outside the toy store that was built next to Santa's workshop.  The sleigh with the special cookie sacks was now across from the toy store.  The green tree fellow watched to make sure none of the children got close enough to see what toys were being made and spoil their surprise on Christmas morning.  If a child got too close to the toy store, the green tree fellow pick the child up and carried him or her down the road by the stable.  He gave them some magic corn to feed the reindeer.  The children liked the jolly green tree fellow.   Well, it was not that simple.  Delan had to have a serious talk with our 2 oldest boys; it seemed they were going near the toy store just to get picked up and carried by the big tree fellow; they thought being carried by the big guy was fun.  The 2 of them would get no plum sauce on their wild oats the next morning.  They said their younger brother gave them the idea and encouraged them to do it; all 3 got no plum sauce.


  The sleigh was slowly filling up with cookies; there were not enough spices to bake cookies in both ovens.  Another spice house was built near the ovens in the gingerbread village.  The Elves were hoping to have at least 1200 cookies by Christmas Eve.  That would be a half dozen cookies for each of the average 200 permanent residents of Smallville.



Another gingerbread house was built by that sugar house; the young man moved out of the Rooms and into the house.  A cocoa house was also built there and we knew we would be getting another sweet treat.



  Another snack stand was built next to the first one across from the chapel and town hall.  One of the stands would roast chestnuts and the other would bake apples or potatoes.  The seed merchant came to port right at planting time.  We traded for the potato seeds he had, and planted the potatoes in one of the fields that was planted with mixed vegetables in previous years.  A second farmer was assigned to the remaining vegetable field to increase its yield.  We would have plenty of potatoes to bake.   

[Abandoned]

Chapter 24


  The Elves noticed how much milk and eggs was brought to their food store.  They suggested we make eggnog with our surplus; they had the recipe and the spices.  If we built a Nog Nook next to our animal shed with the old milk cow and chickens, they would send an Elf to make the eggnog.  We built the Nog Nook as instructed.  We put an umbrella table outside next to it for anyone wanting to sit and enjoy the last mild days of autumn.  The eggnog was delicious.



  The Elves had another suggestion and recipe for our surplus milk, hot chocolate.  They had the cocoa and another Elf worker if we picked the spot for the stand.  We had the perfect spot right next to the school and playground.  Children who didn't want to drink all of their milk before, now wanted more.  Delan and I were happy that our boys had a hot drink in the winter after walking all that way to school in the cold.

 



  The cold and snow didn't stop anyone from enjoying the skating pond as soon as the ice was frozen solid.  A Hot Chocolate booth was now there by the pond between the Skates and Roasted Nuts booths.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 25


  The Elves built a candy store next to the bake shop.  Their sugar and the first of our plums would be used to make the traditional sugar plum candy.





  The Elves built a Julmust store back behind their chapel and cocoa house.  Julmust is a tradition Christmas drink where they come from way up north in reindeer territory at the North Pole.  "Must" is a non-fermented fruit drink, "Jul" is Christmas.  It was spring before the store was built so they would brew Paskmust; "Pask" is Easter. 



  The school children were not only learning songs at school that could be song at Christmas or Easter, but they were using the songs to learn how to write.  They had quite an assortment of booklets.  It was decided that the song booklets should be made available to anyone who wanted one, so a Songs & Carols Booklet Shop was built behind the chapel and cemetery.  Young Simer, age 10, moved in to operate the store.  Simer was Camilton and Arlindy's son; they arrived from Smallville back in year 3.  Simer was just a newborn at the time.  We thought maybe our Hilarion would have moved into the shop; he just finished school too and just turned 11.  He finished school before his older brother, Grantley, who was 12 at the time.  They grow up so fast.