Story Note: Before you read this last Smallville story, you may want to read or reread the first Smallville story if you have not done so already. It has been posted on Simtropolis in the Banished Club:
https://community.simtropolis.com/journals/entry/30389-story-1-smallville/ and the pictures have been restored to Smallville on the World of Banished blog : https://worldofbanished.com/index.php?topic=1312.0
Intro This is the 100th and final story in the Smallville Series which began 7 years ago on Oct 16, 2016. It tells about the 20th and final expedition to leave that town. The 1st expedition went to Pumpkin Hollow story 3 in year 26 SVT. This last one leaves Smallville in year 100 SVT and heads south along the river, well south of Central City of story 98, to where it all began when the mountain came down and destroyed a family settlement and most of its inhabitants. The surviving children were the founding families of Smallville, and it is their descendants who formed this final expedition to return to the homeland of their ancestors to build a memorial and establish a settlement of their own. Like the first settlement at this location, this one has no name either; it is just a small family settlement, a small town. I call it Small Town USA since Smallville's World was based somewhat on USA's climate, seasons, regions, and past history. I am using the same vanilla start and some of the same mods that I used in Smallville. Most of the other mods I am using did not exist back in early Smallville Time.
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Map seed # 713336956 Valley, Small, Mild, Disasters Off, Vanilla Easy (6 Families)
Most Mods ever activated for a map and load order are:
Map Changing and Starting Mods: Banished UI Maps, Labor Window, RK Minimized Status, CC Light Rain, override Climate, Settler Deco, Jinxie Natural Decorations, Kid Deco Tree Fall, New Flora Edit, New Trees, Kid Vegetable Garden Start
Tweak Mods: Better Fields, Bigger Wheelbarrows, Hunting, Hunting Season, Increased CC, 1:1 Alternative (Voeille), Rock Respawn, Tiny Smoke
Major or Must Have Mods: An Empty Square, Nomads (Kid), override Uneducated, Storage Crates, Jinxie Festival Park, Kid Abandoned Places SE (updated again), Kid Colonial Resources, Kid Old Town, Kid Tiny, Kid Tiny Downtown, Kid WorkPlace, Mini Buildings
Supporting Mods: Beach, Beach Party, Chicken Coop, Christmas Mod, Colorful Little Houses, Christmas, DS Fences & Deco, DS Wagon Vendor, Deco Tombstones (new), Colorful Little 2 Floor House, Country Little House, Deco Sunflower, DS Fences and Decorations, EB Chapel, EB Ice Cream Cart, EB Statue Cristo Redentor, EB Village Resort Deco, Garden Shed, Greenhouse, Kid Animal Breeder, Kid Deco Farm Animals, Kid Deco People, Kid Deco Wreath, Kid Farmyards, Kid Festival Ground, Kid Fish n Ships, Kid Forest Fellow, Kid Frozen Ponds, Kid Fruit and Nuts, Kid Gingerbread Village (new), Kid Hedgerow, Kid Market Carts, Kid Nativity Chapel, Kid some Boats, Kid Washing Mod, Kid Workshop, Maypole, Nordic Houses, Red Creamery Cows, Sample White Chicken, Water and Other Decorations, White Picket Fence.
Mod note: Kid Abandoned Places has been updated again, again my fault. A cider barrel has been added along with the deco willow tree that I love from Kid Fish n Ships. Also added are 3 deco ponds that are the same size as the ones in Kid Frozen Ponds. If you have a mod before Frozen Ponds that changes the climate from more-snow, you can use one of the deco ponds and then in winter replace it with a frozen pond for ice skating and ice fishing. Thanks
@kid1293 for this update.
Yes, weary traveler, we are descendants of the founders of Smallville; their great grandchildren were our great grandparents. Much of what we know has been passed down from generation to generation; much of that was learned from the native people and the earlier Elven ancestors, like how to take care of the trees and the animals. We wanted to build a memorial to those ancestors in their native homeland where it all began, so we set off on an expedition being told, like so many others before us, "go bravely into the future but always remember the old ways".
Come, weary traveler, sit by the fire with a mug of warm old-time honey ale and I'll tell you my tale.
Chapter 1
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There were 18 of us, 12 adults with 6 young children who boarded the merchant ship that Smallville's town council arranged passage for us on. The rest of our expedition would travel on foot to the homeland of our ancestors. We filled the ship with our sheep and chickens, our iron tools and hide coats, our seeds and seedlings, and our potatoes. I don't think anyone ever left Smallville without potatoes, lots of potatoes. Our group had skilled builders, craftsmen, farmers, herdsmen, and fisherman although we all attended survival school and had the knowledge to perform any task that needed doing. My name is Rolannie and my husband is Delandra, Delan and Annie for short.
The captain of the ship told us a bit about the land and the tragedy that occurred; he was a descendant of the river boatman who visited that settlement so he heard stories that were passed down through the generations just as we did. It was believed to have been a miracle that anyone survived. The settlement was in the lowlands that flooded often, that's why it was back by the hills farther from the river. It was young people who had moved closer to the river that survived when the mountain came down on the town after a torrential rainstorm. At the outer edge of the destruction, they found a few orphaned children who survived. There was no help to be found, there was little else in the area at the time, there's not much more now. They had a long arduous journey north before finding the abandoned lumber camp. Although they were little more than children themselves, they settled there and made homes for the young orphans. They taught survival skills to countless of others over the years.
So, there we were back where the Smallville founders were born and raised. They were younger when they left here than we were when we arrived. There was no trace that a settlement had ever been here. Well, we would build one and we would remember the old ways: shelter, food, and firewood were first priority.
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By May Day we had a large storage barn and a basic wood and thatch house for each family, just like Smallville had at the start. It was just before dawn on May Day when the mountain here came down and buried the townspeople all those years ago. We place a May Pole by their final resting place.
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Chapter 2
It was a cold rainy spring, work was slow, and then one morning the sun came out and shone brightly from the east. It gave us new hope. Like the morning starts a new day and spring starts a new year; we were starting a new life; we felt like children. I wondered how many families over the years landed on our eastern shores and thought the same thing.
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We built a tiny sheep shed and a well while land was being cleared for the chickens and a small farmyard. A large woodcutting yard was being built next to the stockpile. A tiny blacksmith would be across from it and a tiny tailor down the road. A good size fishing pier was built on the river, the river bend was a good spot for fishing. Just like Smallville, we built a mini town hall and outdoor classroom across from the storage barn. We were starting to feel at home.
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The weather warmed and there were flowering lilac trees and daffodils blooming. Behind our house I found wild asparagus and herbs. The small farmyard had berries, cabbage, corn, and potatoes. We had fish and eggs and would soon have chicken and venison; two of the men went off to hunt for deer. We would also have hides that when combined with our sheep's wool would make nice warm coats for next winter.
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Chapter 3
Smallville was noted for its survival school and for its greenhouse. We brought many seedlings with us so we built a greenhouse just like Smallville's. We built a gardener's shed next to it to plant forester seedling there behind the woodcutter. We also had seedling for fruit and nut trees that we would plant later. Seedlings were always in great demand; we planned to raise seedlings for trade so we built a trading post nearby.
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By the time the green house and trading post were completed, our Small Town's population had increased. Each of our 6 families now had a newborn; there were 2 baby girls and 4 baby boys. Delan and I named our first-born son Grantley. I was tending the sheep in the shed across from our house at the time and I remember thinking that the babies and other children would all have warm wool blankets when winter came.
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An 8' X 12' crop field had been cleared next to our house and was ready to be planted in spring with an assortment of vegetables. To insure we had enough food and a nice variety until then, we did as we had done since we were children; we followed the old ways and went out to collect whatever wild foods we could find. We added berries, roots, onions, and wild oats to the other supplies in the storage barn. We collected branches too even though there was plenty of firewood on the stockpile to keep the home fires burning all winter long. We did not find any wild honey to sooth a sore throat but there would be plenty of kettles of chicken soup simmering on the hearths to ease the common cold.
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The sheep shed was built with its back to the winter wind; the sheep would be fine. We built awning covers over the chicken's food and water, the outdoor classroom, and my wash lines. There was washing to be done no matter what the season.
Chapter 4
The new crop of asparagus was coming up and the assortment of vegetables was being planted in the farm field. A 2nd crop field was cleared but we did not have a worker to plant it. The couple to the left of us, Terranco and Chrystle, were working in the asparagus patch and farm field. Next to them, Jerre and Ramond were our tailor and only laborer; Jerre would become our blacksmith as soon as he finished the warm coats he was working on. Next to the barn, Warret and Tawandace were our greenhouse botanist and forester. Across from the outdoor classroom lived Tavo the fisherman and his wife Estin who was our teacher. Their daughter, Lanich, would be the first student very soon. When it was too cold or rainy, Estin would teach her daughter at home. The girl already knew the basics of food gathering since she was a toddler; she knew which roots and mushrooms to pick and which to leave alone. Our neighbors to the right, Sheriberto and Arthenie were tending the farmyard and the chickens. I took care of the sheep and Delandra was our only builder. We had no one working at the trading post or wood cutting yard.
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More lilacs and daffodils were blooming; spring had arrived and so did the rest of our expedition. There were 20 adults with 5 children; 6 families included 4 adult children and the 5 young ones. There was 1 older man and 3 young adult males. We were glad to see them all again and to have more help. Again shelter, food, and firewood were priority.
We had a meeting at our mini town hall to discuss job allocation and housing. Two farmers were immediately assigned to the new farm field that had not yet been planted. A worker was assigned to the wood cutting yard, trading post, and another to the fishing pier. A bait shop was built by the pier for 1 family and a house was built behind the woodcutter for the family who would take over as forester and botanist.
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The 3 young adult males went off exploring the area and found several small ponds; south of town they found 1 that was larger and, by its color, appeared deeper than the others. It also had a small sand beach and several summery looking willow trees. The 3 boys built themselves 3 little beach houses by that pond. They looked forward to some summer fun swimming in that pond.
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Ah summer, when the days were warm with the summer sun high overhead and the days were long. There would be plenty of time to get everything done that needed doing plus time to relax and have some fun. It's not to say these young adults weren't hard workers; all 3 worked hard all summer and longer building homes for the other families.
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The older man built a cabin just west of the tailor and across from his house was built a tiny hunting stand where he would work. Behind that was built a small stockpile and a vegetable sorting table and storage shed. Behind our backyard across from the farm field, a house was built for another of the families. Fruit and nut trees were planted at the end of the first farm field and next to it was the first floor of a colorful little house like we had back in Smallville. Next summer we would have pecans and peaches.
Chapter 5
Behind that colorful little house was one of the smaller ponds; there were ducks in the pond and deer nearby. They probably drank from this pond. We would have duck meat, eggs, and down to make warm coats with the deer hides, but like the ancestors taught us, we would not over-hunt the deer or the ducks.
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Another colorful little house was built for a couple with their adult daughter. There was a cranberry bog and a smaller duck pond in a patch of mushrooms. It was cold and snowing before that family got into their house; that was maybe the reason their daughter preferred to stay at home rather than a house of her own or maybe she feared she would be homesick if she moved. We were all feeling a bit homesick for Smallville; it would soon be the holidays and we missed our families.
The last family needing a home suggested we build a post office near the trading post; we built one next to the bait shop. Their youngest son, Sewart, moved into a 4th beach house that was built. The couple would take over as forester and botanist, their older son still living with them, would be trader and he would see that any letters dropped off at the post office would be given to the river boatmen when they came to port. Any letters brought by the boatman would be taken to the post office for us to pick up.
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Chanae, the general goods merchant, came to port shortly after the post office was built. He indeed had letters from home for us, we were thrilled. He had wheat seeds and wool, but we had no trade goods for the seeds and didn't need the wool. He said seedlings were always needed as well as coats and tools, logs, firewood, and stone. He took our order for seeds and our hastily written letters for families back home.
Chapter 6
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That winter, that started out snowy and mild, turned bitterly cold. The boys in the beach houses, who had been taking turns fishing in the now frozen pond, found it too cold to remain there. Sewart's parents wanted him to come home but they had just had a new baby boy and it was a bit crowded; Sewart would rather stay with his friends. That prompted us to build Rooms next to the hunter's house on Main Street. All 4 boys helped with the building and moved in as soon as it was finished.
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Sewart's parents were not the only ones with newborns. Delan and I had our 2nd son who we named Hilarion. The town's population was now 59; 32 adults, 1 student, and 26 young children. The extreme cold and the fact that there were several children who would reach school age soon, prompted us to build a schoolhouse just like the one back in Smallville. We built it across from the rooms by the farm field where pumpkins were among the mixed vegetables that were grown. We all remembered sitting in the schoolhouse in Smallville and looking out at the pumpkin patch next to it.
As soon as the weather warmed in spring, the boys were back in their beach houses waiting for summer. The Rooms did not remain empty for long; 3 couples with 1 young adult and 4 young children arrived from Smallville. They and their children missed friends and family that were here; we welcomed them gladly.
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At the spring town hall meeting, everyone agreed that the project we had been putting off for too long should be done before more houses were built. Especially with Thanksgiving and Christmas fast approaching, our Small Town needed a chapel; it also needed a cemetery. We choose a spot on Main Street west of the Rooms, not far from the Maypole. At the same time we also built a fenced in playground across from the school. Next to that we now had a wheat field; Chanae, the general goods merchant, returned with wheat seeds. We traded seedlings and a few iron tools for the seeds. The families that arrived that spring brought some seeds with them too.
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Chapter 7
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The beachboys spent as much time as they could enjoying the summer sun on their beach but they were pretty busy building. A mill was built not far from the beach houses near the wheat field; beachboy, Sewart, became the miller. Two houses were built by the chapel and cemetery; one would house the stonecutter and his family, and the couple in the other house would be caretakers for the cemetery, the chapel grounds, and the school playground. The couples would do those jobs in addition to their regular job assignments.
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West of town, 1 of the families moved into the upper level of the colorful little house by the cranberry bog. They had seen turkeys at the edge of the forest behind the Rooms while they were staying there. The hunter next door caught the turkeys for them and they set up a farmyard in front of their new home. They brought seeds with them from Smallville so they planted pumpkins and Brussels Sprouts, and an apple tree seedling from the greenhouse with the turkeys. Next to the house, they planted another farmyard with a chestnut seedling plus oats, carrots, and sweet potatoes.
Genni, age 14, moved into a 1 level colorful little house that was built nearby. She would hunt from the hunter's workplace that was built next to the house. There were 2 large herds of deer in the immediate area; she would not have far to go. When Genni moved out, the Rooms were empty. Anastacey, a young single male, moved out from the bait shop and into the Rooms. His parents, Chardy and Luvenie, were glad he moved there and did not become another beachboy.
Beachboy, Sewart, the miller, found a hedgerow behind the mill. It had an apple tree, wild oats and strawberries, honey, and rosehips. There were chestnut trees and spices back along the tree line behind the caretaker. A hedgerow with another chestnut tree, an apple tree, and flax was planted alone the stonewall behind the chapel yard. By then, the leaves had changed color and had begun to fall. The sun set earlier in the west; the days were getting shorter. It was autumn. The rapid growth of summer had slowed, the crops had matured and were being harvested.
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Millip and Catalya, in the two-story house, harvested a small crop of apple from the tree in their farmyard; they set up a barrel to make cider and a cookpot to heat it in. Anyone working outside harvesting crops or taking them to the storage barn was welcome to stop by for a mug of hot apple cider. There was a nice variety of food in the storage barn and our pantries were again full. We had a lot to be thankful for.
Chapter 8
The chapel yard was the perfect place for our first Thanksgiving celebration that fourth year. Preparations began several days before; bread and rolls were being baked with flour from our mill. Meat and poultry were being roasted and vegetables were being prepared. The caretakers set up more tables and cookpots in the chapel yard.
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There was turkey, chicken, and venison. There were mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes. Corn, squash, and beans were served in honor of the Native people from whom we learned so much. There were Brussels sprouts, carrots, roots, pumpkin, chestnuts, and cranberries. It was quite a feast.
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It was a beautiful autumn day; the sun was shining and the wind was calm. Folks had just begun to arrive and were filling their plates when the clouds covered the sun and the temperature began to drop and the first snowflakes began to fall. We hurried to get the food into the Rooms common room, others took their plates of food and hurried home. The rest of us gathered together to sing hymns of praise, to enjoy the feast, and to see to it that the children ate their vegetables. All in all, it was a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAhCLNaeMmw
Chapter 9
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It snowed through the night and on-and-off all winter. Genni, the hunter, spent her spare time hanging around the school helping the young children build snowmen. We all thought she was doing it because Anastacey, who still lived alone in the Rooms, was the schoolteacher. He moved into the Rooms when she moved out. We all thought it was rather sweet, well, all except Anastacey's parents. The girl had been seen several times, that past summer and fall, dipping in the pond with beachboy, Gilber.
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Gilber was now helping to build the new cow barn down by the mill. We were hoping a livestock merchant would be by soon. Stewardo, the food merchant, came to port just after Thanksgiving. We ordered milk for the children. He said it wouldn't be a problem delivery milk now; milk delivery was only done during the colder months. The winter was indeed cold and snowy; it was followed by a cold and rainy spring. It took until early summer for the barn and pasture to be built.
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We had 2 weddings that 5th year: in spring Anastacey married Genni and moved in with her, in summer Gilber married Kanis who had been living with her parents at the Post Office. Anastacey and Genni did not attend that wedding, they had a baby girl a short time later. Delan and I had our 3rd son, Joesaphus, around that same time. Small Town's population had grown to 78, 39 adults, 7 students, and 32 young children.
Chapter 10
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We wanted to record all the town's weddings, births and deaths, and we wanted a safe place to keep the records. Our outdoor mini town hall was only good for meetings when the weather was good. We built a new tiny stone Town Hall across from the chapel and cemetery. All the information we had gathered about the ancestors buried here was brought to the new town hall. Those of us who collected the information met to compare notes and organize the facts. Earlier in the year, our stonecutter began making memorial markers near the burial grounds, he had 6 of the 7 large markers completed. He would carve the markers with the family information we would provide.
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There were 23 survivors, 12 were adults who formed 6 families. As far as we knew, none of the adults were related, so there were 12 sets of parents. Someone said one of the survivors only had 1 parent but we did not know which. 7 sets of parents had children still living at home, and 5 did not. We did not know the names of all the parents or the children so we decided that the large markers would read "Parents of" the survivors name and the number of "siblings". If we knew the names, we would list them. 5 sets of parents had no other children; the stonecutter made 5 sets of double stones for those parents. Again, they would be carved as parents of the survivor, with names if known. There must have been grandparents and maybe even some great grandparents among those who perished but again, we did not know.
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We knew there were 11 children who survived: 1 was the sister and 3 were the children of adult survivors, 7 were orphans. We knew the names of all the orphaned children but not all their parents. Someone said some of the orphans were siblings but we did not know for sure and did not know which ones. All we knew for sure was their childhoods were marred by great sadness. We place a cross marker for the parents of each of the 7 orphans.
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We wanted our children to have good memories of their childhood, so, that autumn we had a Halloween party for the children in the chapel yard. There was apple cider, scary ghost stories, and bobbing for apples. It was followed a month later by our annual Thanksgiving feast.
Chapter 11
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It snowed again for Thanksgiving that year but the sky cleared soon after and it got very cold. The beach boys took advantage of the cold to do a little ice skating on their small frozen pond. The stonecutter and a few of the other men determined that the ice was thick enough on the big pond to be safe enough for ice skating too. The blacksmith got busy making skates in an assortment of sizes. He did say that the supply of iron was again low.
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The stonecutter asked if we had given any more thought to the memorial markers for the ancestors. Our small group of fact gatherer had, in fact, had another meeting at the town hall. We all thought the stone wall and bench outside was a nice addition. It was cold inside the stone building so we didn't stay long, only long enough to agree that our next letters to Smallville would ask if anyone remembered anything about grandparents. Looking over the sketchy information we had about the survivor's parents and siblings, we didn't hold out much hope for getting any useful information about grandparents.
Little did we know that we would soon be back at the town hall; first to record the birth of Gilber and Kanis' baby boy, and then again to record Small Town's first death. Sewart, the miller, and Kanis's mother, Tomikaela, the forester, died in childbirth. Matthia was left alone with 2 small children in the post office.
Chapter 12
And then it was spring again, the time of rebirth. What better way to celebrate than at the chapel and chapel yard with an Easter egg hunt. The tailor made herself an Easter bunny custom and the caretakers hid colored eggs and baskets of treats around the chapel yard for the children to find.
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Ramond became tailor after husband, Jerre, became blacksmith. She was a bit warm that day because she made the bunny custom out of sheep's wool. She discovered that her needed textiles, wool, leather, flax, and down, were being stored all over town, some in crates and some even in the new cow barn. She decided to take a cart to collect the materials so they would be close-by when she was busier making warm coats in fall. That was her busiest time, when the weather got colder and mothers found that their oldest children had outgrown their warm coats: those were handed down to the younger siblings and the older children got new ones. The children had no need for coats in the summer, even the older school children spent most of their time playing outside in the sun at the school playground.
(https://i.imgur.com/QwgEzpD.jpg)
The laborers took advantage of the warm weather to gather iron for the blacksmith. Surface iron was now some distance away. It did not take much iron to make the ice skates but it was decided that no more tools should be taken to the trading post. A livestock trader still had not come to port but there were enough seedlings, logs, and firewood there to make a trade. A storage shed with a service window was built by the big pond, an assortment of ice skates was there waiting for the weather to get cold and the ice to became thick enough to be safe to skate upon.
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Chapter 13
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In early winter of that 6th year, Gillice, the livestock merchant, came to port. He just happened to have milk cows with him; we thought we would have to place an order and have another long wait. We traded seedlings and logs for all the cows he had.
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Luckily, we were prepared, not only with the barn and pasture but with a corn patch and a corn crib full of corn drying for winter feed. Six cows were taken to the pasture. There was room for a few more. The other cow he had was an older cow from a family farm; the owners were elderly and found it too much to tend to the cow. Gillice took the cow hoping to find a new home for it. We took that cow also and built an animal shed for it behind the Rooms and closer to the school. The cow would get special care and be more protected from the weather. It would have the company of a few chickens.
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Being closer to the school would ensure that the school children always had milk in the morning; the extra laying hens would provide eggs that the teacher could boil for the children's lunch. Small Town had 12 students: 9 in the schoolhouse and 3 in the outdoor classroom. We looked forward to the older students finishing school so we would have a few more workers.
Chapter 14
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The cows had settled in the new pasture well. Problem was there was no one living close by and those that were the closest did not really want to tend the cows and the pasture. Wardo and Caleighton, in the colorful little house east of the mill, farmed one of the vegetable fields and tended the duck pond. With 3 children at home, they had their hands full. The beach boys were laborers, our only builder, and Sewart the miller; we did not have many laborers. Our food surplus was very good and we had plenty of flour; we could stop work at the mill or one of the vegetable farms but those workers were still a fair distance from the cow pasture.
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The answered seemed to be to build a farmhouse down by the pasture for one of the young singles still living at home or one of the soon to finish school students. I had a better solution. I asked Delan if we couldn't move down to the farm. I would love it; the children would have more room to run and play than in the middle of town. They would only have a little farther to go to school; the oldest of our 3 boys would be starting school soon; Grantley was already 6. Hilarion was 4 and Joesaphus was 2. Delan was concerned that the farm was close to the pond but Gilber, the beachboy, said he would teach our children how to swim; he and Kanis had a one-year-old that he was already teaching. Gilber also said that one of the boys was usually around the beach and would keep an eye out for the children, and besides that he saw a tree fellow lurking nearby. Tree fellows not only protected the forest but all the little creatures, especially children. There were others around town; if we looked, we would probably see them.
So, it was agreed, we would move to the farm. Kyndallas, Killiams' and Milie's adult daughter, moved out of their lower-level colorful little house by the turkey farmyard, and into our vacant one to tend the sheep. A large storage barn was built by our new farmhouse and I could go out in the morning to gather eggs and get fresh milk for breakfast. It was a beautiful spot to be in summer; our boys loved it.
(https://i.imgur.com/AEXyEeq.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/e0O2R0B.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/aTC2eKr.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/NNGbSyA.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/E15q9Cu.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/uIxPq0O.jpg)
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.
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/KvqxxV6.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/4oGjXnN.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/5Lrb8qi.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Bqvh6bK.jpg)
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.
Chapter 18
(https://i.imgur.com/KjK5Tpz.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/dtjG4F8.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/AcBihdI.jpg)
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
With so any Christmas songs out there it must have been hard to chose :)
;D 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. ;D
;D 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
;D oh thanks :) but now I am hungry ;D
Chapter 19
(https://i.imgur.com/BnmoPRn.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/FUxa6c1.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/3AmE6Tz.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/p8y8mHc.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/q2RnebG.jpg)
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.
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/UFbJVjU.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/mRxnI1D.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/IOznXV5.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/pCr1NRZ.jpg)
Chapter 21
(https://i.imgur.com/r4JCNIY.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/qSljN6y.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/7u349qA.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/CBCc4A0.jpg)
Chapter 22
(https://i.imgur.com/KtVVfgQ.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/1JD0vhf.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/trLmIrB.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/JQ1titw.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/UwPtSiA.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/pQJcJL3.jpg)
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.
Chapter 23
(https://i.imgur.com/fBmLoBX.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/opAuc6p.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/0WOvuCI.jpg)
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.
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/QumpKOq.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/VdJjZ7d.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/1Lelon9.jpg)
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.
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/xtZssQm.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/qlVhfQ2.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/uoheNuh.jpg)
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.
(https://i.imgur.com/kgK2TWC.jpg)
Chapter 26
The rest of year 13 went by fast as did year 14. As was our custom, before winter we went out to gather what wild foods and branches we could find. We also did some tree cutting. Our supply of logs and firewood had dropped a bit with the snack stands and baker's oven using more of our firewood now.
The oven was often having to wait, not only for firewood, but for spices also. The Julmust, eggnog, mulled wine, and the gingerbread cookies all required spices. There were only 600 cookies in the special sacks in Santa's sleigh. The Elves had yet to fire-up the 2nd baker's oven.
(https://i.imgur.com/1OaHodo.jpg)
The Elves built a 3rd spice house next to the 2nd one back by the cocoa house hoping with more spices the cookie production would increase. Christmas was fast approaching. The Elves had already put up some Christmas wreaths. I supposed that decorating for Christmas was something we would have to give more thought too; not much was done back in Smallville other than stockings hung by the fireplace and a small tree for Santa to leave toys under.
With more spices, cookie production did increase and there were soon 900 cookies in the sleigh. We then realized that the baker would soon need more flour. The mill stopped grinding several years earlier when we had a large surplus of flour on hand in the storage barn. There was wheat from the last harvest still in storage; we could start up the mill again as soon as we got a new miller; beachboy, Sewart, was married and moved away from the mill. He married Laniela, the fisherman's daughter, and they moved into our old house in town. Kyndallas, who original moved into the house when we moved out, married beachboy Parrin and moved into his beach house by the small pond. Both couples had young children now. With the decision made to start up the mill again, we hoped that the early spring snow in year 15 would not have damaged too much of the newly planted wheat.
(https://i.imgur.com/ayfK69W.jpg)
Chapter 27
(https://i.imgur.com/BJuigyP.jpg)
The spring snow took its toll on our crops. By summer you could easily see that much of the wheat and potatoes were killed by that early cold and snow at planting time. The mixed vegetables had not been planted before the snowfall so they suffered no damage; they were harvested first and produced their usual yearly quota of 576 vegetables despite summer being cooler than normal.
The laborers took advantage of the cooler days and hiked over the hill to the southeast to collect what little surface iron there was there. When Larryll, the resource merchant came, we traded seedlings for some of his iron. Our tool surplus was good so we did not trade for very much.
(https://i.imgur.com/XjmGRZv.jpg)
Two new houses were built that summer. Another colorful little house was built by the duck pond, and another beach house by the beach not far from the mill. A young single male moved into the beach house and a young couple into the little house. There were more young singles living at home but not of marriage age; we already had several young singles living alone so we would hold-off on building more house for a while.
By autumn the harvest totals were in, we lost 50% of the wheat and 47% of the potatoes. We would have enough wheat for the mill, and there were some potatoes harvested with the mixed vegetables, so we would not run short. However, we stopped baking potatoes at the snack stand for the time being. We would be saving the potatoes for general use and would also be saving some firewood; we collected branches several times that summer and again in autumn.
(https://i.imgur.com/XAsfUUF.jpg)
The botanist dug up several small evergreens and potted them in the greenhouse, he decorated some of them for Christmas. They could be replanted outside after Christmas when the weather warmed again. Santa's Elves were making more wreaths. The weather got colder and we soon had the first snow of the season.
Chapter 28
(https://i.imgur.com/ImxwTaW.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/JCAj1tI.jpg)
The Elves' Christmas wreaths and our small decorated trees began showing up all over Small Town and the Gingerbread Village. It was beginning to look quite festive everywhere we went, even in the old part of town. The Elves were hanging the wreaths and calling out a "Merry Christmas" to everyone they met. It was a happy time for everyone; the sound of children's laughter carried far on the cold winter air. The children were playing outside and building snowmen everywhere; the schoolyard, the playground, and the chapel yard had fresh built snowmen.
(https://i.imgur.com/88bR0V2.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Z9feHn1.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/4pXClAj.jpg)
There was a snowman and a small decorated tree by the beach houses, and wreaths on some of the doors. Our boys built a snowman in our yard. We put up a small decorated tree by the barn. The children were all anxious for Christmas to come and they were getting impatient waiting for Santa. I remember being their age at this time of year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElpkkD6elsY
I imagine we all have such memories - to be young, to be carefree, a life to be lived, a world to experience. :)
And by way of a selective quote :-
Someone asked Bernard Shaw what, in his opinion, is the most beautiful thing in this world.
"Youth," he replied, "is the most beautiful thing in this world"..........
Only six more sleeps to go :)
:) I actually remember singing that song as a child ;D I still knew almost all the words ;D
Sad that not all the children of the world today are not making good memories. :(
6 till Christmas Eve :) Merry Christmas
Yes, I agree,
Even when we see and know the world for what it is, we somehow manage to forget just how lucky some of us are.
Merry Christmas to one and to all :)
And by way of a little Christmas philosophy - a person should always
Lead a good life, be the best person that you can, and always do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Chapter 29
There was more to keep the childen busy and distracted before Christmas. Chestnuts were roasting and hot chocolate was brewing as soon as the snowflakes began to fall. As soon as the ponds froze over, those treats were at the booths by the skating pond. The temperature was just below freezing, the snow fell gently; there was no wind; it was perfect weather for skating.
(https://i.imgur.com/LiVPL48.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/OZKtjyq.jpg)
Over by the nearby stable, much to the children's delight, the jolly green tree fellow was picking up the children, sometimes 2 at a time, and carrying them back and forth along the road in front of the stable. At the Gingerbread Village, the Elves were giving the children bits of sugar from the sugar house to feed to the reindeer. The children nibbled a bit on the sugar too, and they dreamed of sugar plums from the candy store when they were tucked up in bed at night. There'd be more to see and do tomorrow.
Chapter 30
(https://i.imgur.com/QF3Jepd.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/cb5ThB5.jpg)
The road that the candy store was on was all lit up with the magic of Christmas streetlights that went all the way down the road past the shops, from the candy store to the Yule Tap Tavern. The colored lights absorbed the light of day and then glowed softly at night. The winter days were short; the lights were aglow early enough for the children to be taken to see the lights and then taken back home in time for bed.
(https://i.imgur.com/JaeuGhv.jpg)
Down at the end of the road by the Yule Tap Tavern was a big Christmas tree decorated with colored ornaments, bows, and garland. There were other trees and lights to be seen around town too.
(https://i.imgur.com/jthqbsl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/sDMfSQK.jpg)
There was a big tree by the mill that we went by every day, and another by the Town Hall across from the chapel that now had Christmas lights by the front door. Another big decorated tree was by the skating pond behind the Song & Carols shop. And, of course, there was plenty of Christmas music to keep the children occupied too.
Chapter 31
(https://i.imgur.com/HVAFC3j.jpg)
The caretaker put up the festival music tent next to the chapel. The school children put on several musical performances with Christmas songs and carols they learned from the booklets they made for the shop while learning to write. They even put on a play to tell what Christmas was all about.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjN2avAT4oI
Because word spread about how good the play was, the children had to put on an encore performance for the folks who missed it the first time. The parents were so proud that their children knew the true meaning of Christmas.
After the children's performances, the music tent was transformed into a live nativity with cows and sheep, and young couples with newborns who played the parts Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus.
(https://i.imgur.com/xdFXPg0.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/6YgngSU.jpg)
The gingerbread chapel had a big decorated tree and a carved nativity sign out front. Even the House of Healing had a tree and wreath and smaller nativity sign. The cleric said that faith was the best healer of all.
(https://i.imgur.com/N9cnVZG.jpg)
Chapter 32
(https://i.imgur.com/Jzinlgq.jpg)
Three trees with pretty blue ornaments were added to the Memorial Garden; it looked very peaceful with the snow gently falling. We were pleased with what we had done in honor of our ancestors; if not for them we would not be here, we would not be anywhere, we would not have been born, but still we wanted to do more. The Maypole was left up all year to mark the day the mountain came down. We had markers for those ancestors we knew of but we knew there were more resting here beneath the mountain. The stonecutter had an idea that would embrace everyone, past, present, and future, but he would need a lot of stone and a lot of help.
He would get his stone and help; we had plenty of laborers to gather the stone and we had 6 builders. There were more willing to help if needed to finish the project before Christmas. Work began immediately and soon the base of the memorial statue was completed. Our youngest son, Joesaphus, who was still in school near there, was the first to see it and came running home to tell us "It was humongous", a word he learned from his older brother years ago and used often since then. The base of the statue was indeed humongous.
(https://i.imgur.com/q0vKK4M.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/tZpXdIZ.jpg)
The statue got bigger as work progressed, we were all amazed at the size of it and at the skill of our stonecutter and builders. The snow that fell did not impede the work that was being done; the statue of Christ was finished before Christmas and it was magnificent. As the stonecutter said, the statue, with outstretched arms, seemed to embrace everyone and every generation, past, present, and future.
(https://i.imgur.com/VfK5BNp.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/dzATZXe.jpg)
Chapter 33
(https://i.imgur.com/Jos5zcF.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/n8ekSaZ.jpg)
We were very pleased with the Memorial Garden and with our Small Town. Every spring there were lilacs and daffodils blooming, asparagus coming up, and baby chicks in the chicken coops. Easter was celebrated in the chapel yard with an Easter egg hunt. Tree seedlings were being potted in the greenhouse that was just like the one back in Smallville. Wheat, potatoes, and mix vegetable were being planted in the farm fields for summer harvesting.
(https://i.imgur.com/WcMt754.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ewq2Ecn.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/MQZxYXC.jpg)
Strawberries and peaches were special summer treats; ice cream was made with those fruits and with milk from our cows. Many things were produced in summer, but it was also a time for fun in the sun in Small Town. Children learned to swim in the small pond by the willow trees and beach houses. There were weddings, ice cream socials, and harvest festivals in the chapel yard.
(https://i.imgur.com/sBlW8eP.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/qFfewry.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/U3YHsHy.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/oi4O1RG.jpg)
Halloween and Thanksgiving were celebrated there too. The oak trees displayed their fall colors and our fall farmyards produced turkeys, pumpkins, and cranberries. Apple cider was brewing and chestnuts were roasting. We had much to be thankful for, but that was not all. Then came winter with snowman building and ice skating and Santa's Elves.
(https://i.imgur.com/sHPzDu1.jpg)
@Abandoned. I really like this last story, it is very colorful and joyful. It has a lot of Christmas accents. I think that your traveler will visit all the interesting places that have been created on the Banished map. Regards ;)
Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!
:) Thank you
@taniu :) I wish you and your wife a safe and peaceful Christmas, and all the best for the coming New Year. :)
Chapter 34
(https://i.imgur.com/aekmbvD.jpg)
Back in year 10, the Elves arrived on sleighs pulled by flying reindeer; they brought with them the magic of Christmas. They built Santa's workshop, a toy store, and a whole gingerbread village. The village and town were both decorated with wreaths and trees, and our streets were aglow with magical Christmas lights. The Elves brought us much comfort and joy over the years with hot chocolate, mulled wine, and warm winter woolies.
(https://i.imgur.com/LqgZLmJ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/9gel2ar.jpg)
Our town hall records showed that in early winter of year 16, we had 146 citizens, 99 Smallvillians and 47 Elves, all happy and healthy. Our 99 citizens were made up of 65 adults, 18 students, and 16 young children. Their 47 citizens included 25 adults, 7 students, 15 young children, and one jolly green tree fellow.
On Christmas Eve that year, the elves had 1,200 gingerbread cookies waiting in the special sleigh for Santa to pick up and take to our friends and families back in Smallville. Our youngest children were all nestled in their beds waiting for Santa too. We attended a special Christmas Eve service at the chapel earlier in the day. The Elves told us that there was a troupe of entertainers on their way and would put on a musical show for us at the Yule Tap tavern that night where the yule log would be burning bright. Santa must have told the Elves, so we had no doubt the entertainers would be there that night. Those of us with young children arranged for older siblings or neighbors to watch over the young ones before we made our way to the Yule Tap. We could hear distant music and singing as the entertainers made their way to us through the forest.
(https://i.imgur.com/3gHqGt8.jpg)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlsJD8RlhbI
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, weary traveler, and be sure to remember the old ways.
The End
Very nice weary traveler, :)
:) Thank you
Small Town USA - story 100 was the final story in the Smallville series which began Oct. 16, 2016.
I would like to thank
@Savidan for the Banished World Map he made for me back in 2017. It was first used in story 18.
Thanks also go to all the modders whose great mods contributed to the Smallville stories. This includes: angainor88, Discrepancy, embx61, Jinxiewinxie, Kid1293, Kralyerg, Necora, Red Ketchup, and Tom Sawyer.
Thank-you especially for the following mods that were used in this story and other:
@EB for the Chapel and Statue Cristo Redentor
@Jinxie for the Festival Park
@Kid for the Christmas Mod, Frozen Ponds, and Gingerbread Village.
@RedKetchup for Colorful Little Houses, and Green House.
Mr. Red, while I was reposting the pictures in Newport story 12 the other day, I found a comment you made about the greenhouse and my reply. I quote:
"Reply #7 on: April 17, 2017, 11:31:29 AM »
^^ you are still using this crappy greenhouse ?
Re: Abandoned - Newport - Story 12
« Reply #8 on: April 17, 2017, 12:56:44 PM »
@RedKetchup , I happen to really like your crappy greenhouse and the seedlings, thank you very much. :) It was one of the first mods I used from this site and I used it in Smallville and will no doubt keep using it." End of Quote
I used that greenhouse in the first and the last story and many others, often just for the story without even a worker making seedlings. I like that crappy greenhouse :)
I would also like to thank all the weary travelers who read my stories and commented on them which encouraged me to continue and reach the goal of 100 stories in the Smallville World series. Who knows, maybe there will be a Whole New World.
Wishing you all a healthy and happy New Year.
Yes, I agree, this crappy greenhouse is also one of my favourites, :)
Now as far as the end of Small Town series all I can say is OMG -- I'm crying in my pretzels :'( :'( and wonder if tonight will be another Hot December Night
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgx2lnqnRAA
And like Star Trek, maybe we will boldly go where no man (or woman) has gone before, and if we're very lucky, maybe we see strange new worlds and witness their creation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIQsrvW6Ji4
And with this adventure came images of future possibilities, and life long dreams. :-\ :-X ;D
Happy New Year Abandoned and to one and all.
PS I see the crying emoji still doesn't work.
:)
thank you for this story and all the others over the years, its been a constant bright spot on the internet which these days makes a very pleasant change from all the doom and gloom everywhere else, and while I'll be rereading them for sometime to come over at simtropolis as you repost them over there, am going to be ticking down the days again to story 100
@kid1293 and
@Abandoned thank you for the stories and the mods that went with those stories, while I don't say this as much as I should the work you have put into this over the years is very much appreciated :)
:) Thanks
@catty-cb nice to hear :) I have a big job ahead of me, reposting pictures here and stories there at Simtopolis. I look forward to doing a new one.
@Abandoned ;D Goodbye, the last story from the Smallville series :'( :'( :'(, I hope there will be new stories in 2024? ;) Me and my wife thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the wonderful adventures you wrote.
:) Thanks
@taniu I think I will miss Smallville. There will probably be a new world. :)
Happy New Year to you and your wife. :)