Abandoned - Woodlands Wood - Story 11 NWS

[Abandoned]

Chapter 15


  Not only were the potted trees doing well but our forest trees seemed to have had a little spurt of growth also.  We set up another forester workplace in the Gingerbread Village forest; that gave us a total of 5 foresters in that forest and 4 in the riverside forest.  We added another forester to work in the riverside forest, and we assigned a worker to the log barge to begin taking more logs on board.



  Eleonore, the general goods merchant, finally returned in late winter with our wheat order.  We traded firewood and a little stone and iron for 1000 wheat, 100 potatoes, and 20 each of down and wool.  We ordered more of each.

 We still had some wool left from last year's trade.  Our tailor was still making warm coats from gathered flax and the down; we had other plans for the wool.  This winter seemed a bit colder than the previous ones, and now the foresters were spending more time outdoors cutting trees.  They and the laborers need more than just warm coats; they need warm winter woolies.  By summer of that 6th year, we had a woolen mill built on the river.  A haven house was built by the fishing log for one of the young single males.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 16


  By fall, there were woolies hanging on clothes lines all over town, and when the first snow fell in autumn, the children, wearing warm woolen mittens, were outside building snowmen.   Christmas wreaths began appearing on doors, and several potted evergreen trees, decorated just like the one in the town park, could be spotted around town.  It was beginning to look like Christmas.







  It may have looked like Christmas but it felt more like the middle of winter; it was very cold.  Everyone was glad to have warm woolen hats, scarves, mittens, and long johns. The elves thought it would also be nice to have a nice hot drink on those cold winter days.  They had cocoa seeds they brought here with them but did not plant because we had no milk.  Since we now had a milk cow, the elves built a cocoa house and planted the seeds.  They had stored the seed well; most of them sprouted and the plants soon began producing cocoa beans.
 


  The hot chocolate stand would have to wait though because we had a critical shortage of firewood.  Laverlyn, the food merchant, came to port, and restocking the trading post with firewood left us short in the town and village.  We immediately headed to the woods to gather branches, roasting meat and nuts was stopped, and another woodcutter went to work in the riverside forest.  The woodcutters at the tiny choppers by the town and village stockpiles often waited for logs or had a long way to go to get some; laborers cut a few trees near each stockpile.  The crisis was diverted. 

[Abandoned]

Chapter 17


  By early spring of year 7, our firewood supply had recovered nicely.  We would continue having 4 woodcutters to keep the trading post well supplied, and we would continue collecting branches often for our own use.  Our forests and our 9 foresters were now supplying more logs; the depot log barge was almost half full.



  With the log supply improving and the extra wood workers, the woodcutters had a bit more time and took the time to make use of the pieces of wood that were not the best for building and were misshaped or had large knots that made splitting for firewood difficult and dangerous.  The woodcutters used those pieces of wood and their free time to carve some animal statues for the town.  The elves were very impressed; the woodcutters made an elf girl and 2 small animal statues for the Gingerbread Village.







  The elves' statues were placed next to the cocoa house and behind the new toy workshop that was built next to the first one when the log supply improved.  The toy sleigh was only 38% full of wooden toys for Santa and it was getting close to Christmas.  After the 2nd toy shop was built, the toys waiting to be loaded on the sleigh were mounting up and the sleigh was soon half full.



  By autumn, there was more than enough firewood for Lamarian to take some back to Newburg as usual when he returned the covered wagon.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 18


  That winter of year 7 was colder and snowier than any before.  Even the deer moved closer to town where the snow was not drifting as badly as it was elsewhere.  We were very glad we had enough firewood; meat was again roasting on the big spit, and the nut roaster was also fired up, but chestnuts were roasting now instead of walnuts.  A hot chocolate stand was now nestled behind the bakery's oven out of the wind, and the elves Christmas bakery was making plum cakes instead of gingerbread.  We had a nice supply of the cookies in storage already.



  The winter did not seem to want to end.  Laverlyn, the food merchant, was late arriving but he had wheat, potatoes, and a fruit jam he thought we would like that he picked up from Seeds & Seedlings.  He thought right, we traded for the wheat, potatoes, and some of the fruit jam.  It would be a real treat for breakfast on Christmas morning.  Before he left, Laverlyn said if our foresters ever needed tree seedling, he could get them for us.

  Lamarian did not leave for Newburg to get the supply wagon until spring and was even later getting back but that was not because of the weather.  Ten friends and family members with 1 child came with him and they brought us a surprise for Christmas - a stagecoach.  It would make it easier for us to go visit our families and for them to visit us, during the warmer months of course.  We were thrilled.



  Well, the children weren't quite so thrilled; they were worried.  All this talk about the cold and snow causing delays had the children concerned that Santa would not get here for Christmas.  Most of them were told a bedtime story about a red-nose reindeer before drifting off to sleep that night.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 19


  It had been a difficult trip through the woodlands for the families and for the horses pulling the stagecoach.  A stable was built for the horses at the edge of town; the road to town needed to be widened.  A road back to the pass through which they came was also needed.  An older couple moved into the stable; they would care for the horses and drive the stagecoach when needed.



  The road to town was widened and formed a square in front of the town hall, we now had a town square.  In the center of the square was built an inn where families coming to visit could live while here on holiday; it would be known as holiday inn.  Two families would stay at the inn until houses for them were built.  Next to the inn was a gift shop that had useful items plus a selection of woolies, and next to the gift shop was a candle shop that had a nice selection of candles that the beekeeper made from beeswax.  A family moved into each of the shops and would operate them.  Families going back to Newburg for a visit could get gifts at the shops to take with them.  Lamarian said he would be happy to take Christmas gifts to Newburg with him when he returned the supply wagon.  He was still trying to get the wagon unloaded because he had return so late in spring.



  A candy store was built at the end of that new main street, near where Lamarian parked the wagon.  One of Santa's elves began work at the candy store making sugar plum candy.  The children would have sweet dreams of sugar plums that night.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 20


  In summer of that 8th year, just before the stable was competed, we had an outbreak of typhus.  We quickly reopened the hospital and all 4 patients were soon well again.  Around the same time, we also had a visit from Eleonore, the general goods merchant.  Not finding the wheat or wool we ordered available at Riverboat Depot; he personally went to The Granary and Green Pastures to pick up the wheat and wool we needed.  No, we do not think the disease outbreak and boatman's visit were connected, and we don't think those that arrived with the stagecoach brought it either.  We did not hear about any outbreaks of typhus anywhere else from any of the boatmen, and they are very good at keeping us informed.   And since you asked about our experiences with the river boatmen, I will also say that we always trust the boatmen to deliver our messages.  I had no doubt that when Eleonore delivered our firewood to Riverboat Depot that he would tell them that the log barge was almost full.

  Despite the illnesses, the new homes and shops got built.  Thanks to Eleonore bringing the wheat and wool, the gift shop would have plenty of woolies, and our food supply would remain good.  And since our foresters and woodcutters were doing such a good job filling the barge with logs and keeping the trading post stocked with firewood, we thought they'd like more than just hot chocolate and the few ales that the supply wagon brought.  A Yule Tap tavern was built on the road between the 2 riverside foresters.  The forest workers could stop at the spit for a plate of roast meat and take it to the tavern to eat with a mug of ale before the tavern's fireplace on the cold snowy days.





  We had a lot of cold snowy days that year, so many in fact that Lamarian was unable to return the supply wagon to Newburg.  Harolyn was glad Lamarian would remain home safe and sound; at that time they had 3 children ages 5, 3, and 2.  They were all looking forward to Christmas and a visit from Santa.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 21




  The elves were very busy.  It wasn't enough that they were making toys for Santa, they were also growing spices and cocoa, making cocoa, baking cookies or pies, making sugar plum candy, and cutting trees.  The sleigh was 78% full of toys.  The elves said that Santa will be happy with any amount of extra wood toys he could get.  The elves also said that by now back at the North Pole they would be struggling to find enough logs to finish making all the wooden toys in time for Christmas.  We decided to take the log barge to Riverboat Depot even though it wasn't full yet; we knew some of those logs already loaded would make it to the North Pole right away.  A young single male volunteered to take the barge to the Depot.  He was reminded to wear his woolies.





  More wreaths and small trees began appearing around town.  The gingerbread village foresters found just the perfect trees for the elves to decorate.  One was put in the town square by the candy store.  The elves used a little Christmas magic to decorate the trees and to add a row of colorful Christmas lights along Main Street.  The children got to stay up late to be taken for a walk to see the lights.   It was all quite festive.  The little ones had hot chocolate before being taken home and tucked up in their beds.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 22






  The children also got to learn the true meaning of Christmas and what we were celebrating when we took then to see the chapels.  The riverside foresters made 2 wooden signs, one for the gingerbread village chapel and one for our nativity chapel.  Both signs depicted the manger scene.  The snow had stopped and the sky had cleared, the stars shone brightly from above as we told the children the nativity story.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 23






  We here in Woodlands Wood were so proud of our forest workers.  The village foresters provide the village and town with logs for building and firewood for heating, baking, roasting meat and nut, and making hot chocolate. The riverside foresters enabled us to provide firewood to Newburg and so many other towns here in the north.  If not for them we would not have sent barge loads of logs to Riverboat Depot or have the wonderful animal statues to enjoy.



  The elves in gingerbread village relied on the foresters to provide logs for the wooden toys they were making for Santa, and for firewood for making all the special treats they made for us.  We all relied on the forests for providing us with an assortment of fruits and nuts.

  The folks back in our hometown of Newburg came to rely on the extra firewood we took to them each year when we returned the wagon they filled with supplies for us.  Best of all was the stagecoach they surprised us with.  We built a road to the pass that led to Newburg and around the new town square.  In summer the stagecoach took us to visit folks in Newburg and brought them here to visit us, in winter the coach took us for rides around the square to exercise the horses and add a bit of fun.








  Woodlands Wood was a wonderful place to live and raise our families.  It is peaceful and quiet in the evening when the foresters and woodcutters are done for the day.  In winter, the air is scented with the smell of pines and woodsmoke and when the wind is still the sound of the owls can clearly be heard.  Oh listen, eager explorer, you can even hear the sound of singing coming from the Gingerbread Village

[Abandoned]

Chapter 24




  Yes, eager explorer, Woodlands Wood, is indeed a good place to live.  There are 140 of us in the town and village combined, 106 adults with 34 children.   We lost 2 citizens over the 9 years, a laborer died of a weak heart and last winter a forester died when a tree fell on him.  The rest of us are healthy and happy.  The children are all tuck in bed this snowy night, cozy and warm, waiting for Santa. 
 






 We have much to be thankful for here in Woodlands Wood in the Winter Woodlands, but especially at Christmastime.   We are thankful for the hard-working river boatmen who brought us wheat for our flour mill and wool for our woolen mill, and we are thankful for Santa's elves who helped make our Christmases merry and bright.  And thank you, eager explorer, for listening to my story on this snowy Christmas Night.

 

Good night, eager explorer, and have a Merry Christmas.


The End

[taniu]

@ Abandoned     Beautiful Christmas town, beautiful setting, added Christmas music. Thank you very much, you brought a lot of joy with a beautiful story, we wish you good health and more beautiful stories about Banished.
I allowed myself to put my wishes for all good people in your hands.
Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!

[Glenn]

Thank you for another lovely story Abandoned.     

Christmas has come and gone for another year, Boxing Day is here, some of the family are visiting, and the weather forecast is hot and sunny 40C/104F.
I hope everyone has/had a lovely Christmas, all are safe and happy, and depending on where you live warm or cool.
Today will be another day of catching up, indulgence, watering the garden and lawns, and moving my Medaka fry from a hatching container into a larger 50lt aquarium so they can grow out.

Good wishes to everyone and enjoy the season. 

[Abandoned]

   Good to hear from you both @taniu and @Glenn     I wish both of you and your families a Happy and Healthy New Year.