honey – Linda Mahkovec

At this time of year, I begin to wonder what Kate and her daughters would have done to get through the long, cold winters on the farm. Especially on days when they were snowed in, or the outside world was too frigid for enjoyment.

I imagine Kate would have kept busy with mending and darning and the daily chores of farm life. But I also see her in the kitchen, making something special for her family. An unexpected surprise that would warm the kitchen and fragrance the farmhouse.

In addition to their other chores, Ursula and Jessica would have been busy with weekly laundry and ironing – perhaps remembering springtime clotheslines as they gathered the cold laundry off the line.

As they listened to the radio at night, they might have crocheted or embroidered the flowers they longed for, as a way of creating a bit of springtime.

They would have continued their projects with the dried lavender gathered over the summer, making oils for baths and sachets to fragrance bed linen and nightgowns – a way of encouraging memories of spring before asleep.

I see them all pausing at the windows, searching for color out in the snowy, white world

and imagining the garden in bloom, the beehives full of honey.

Such thoughts might prompt them to make a cup of tea with honey, to warm up and savor the hint of wildflowers.

Maybe they would have gone into town with their brothers to run a few errands and catch up on the local news, finding warmth and vitality in the company of friends and neighbors.

In short, they would have done many of the things they did throughout the year – but everything now would be tinged with a wistful longing for the colors and scents of warmer months. It was second nature to them to bring touches of springtime into their lives and spread a little warmth and sunshine into the heart of winter.

(Though Kate and her family are mentioned in the earlier Christmastime books, the farm plots really blossom beginning in the 1943 book.)

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In the Christmastime series, Lillian Hapsey visits her sister, Annette, in upstate New York, close to where they grew up. Annette and her family live on an orchard, which provides Lillian a welcome change from the bustle of Manhattan. Though Lillian only visits once or twice a year, the orchard offers her a wider scope of seasonal beauty and an opportunity to be with family.

Lillian and her boys, Tommy and Gabriel, have fond memories of spending Thanksgiving and Christmas at Annette’s. Depending on the weather, they take hikes through the woods, sometimes taking the logging roads. The boys and their cousins explore the woods and run wild through the orchard, and with the help of their Uncle Bernie, they gather firewood to make bonfires at night, sometimes roasting marshmallows. If there is snow, they go sledding and take sleigh rides.

When the sisters are together, they take long walks along the country roads, gathering bunches of bittersweet and pine cones. At night, they fix a cup of tea and stay up late talking in front of a crackling fire.

One of the things Lillian most looks forward to is preparing wonderful meals with Annette. Part of their tradition is to make dishes that their mother used to make when they were girls.

To the delight of the children, they also make special seasonal treats — apple cider donuts and caramel apples, holiday cookies, and snow ice cream.

And every time Lillian visits, Annette packs a basket for her to take back home with her, full of wholesome goodness from the orchard: honey and beeswax candles, maple syrup and jars of apple butter, bottled pears, jellies and jams — and apples.

When Lillian returns home to Manhattan, she often adds Annette’s orchard gifts to her breakfast and dinner table — besides being a tasty addition, they serve as a reminder of their days up at the orchard.

Annette’s orchard is a haven for Lillian and her boys — a cozy, welcoming place, full of good food and adventures. For Lillian, it gives her a sense of stepping back into her beloved girlhood days, and is a lovely way for her to enjoy the seasons.

(Photos from Pinterest. You can visit my book boards at: https://www.pinterest.com/lindamahkovec/)

Tag: honey

Thoughts of spring – Kate’s farm in winter (the Christmastime series)

Annette’s orchard — seasonal charm