5 December
The large tractor trailer was met by one of the mothers in front of the Old Coast Guard Station. She directed it toward the lowland parking lot just across the way. All over the rather tiny island other PTO families had been waiting for her call. The Christmas trees are here! It wasn't long before the gravel lot began to fill up with cars. Fathers and mothers, aunts and uncles and even a few grandparents began to form lines from the back of the open truck to unload the trees that were tied up tightly. The edge of the lot and the grassy park was full of children running about. The older children were watching over the younger ones and the teenagers were watching over them all. Someone strung up a set of Christmas lights and at twilight they began to blink red, yellow, green and blue over the scene. There was plenty of hot cocoa and cookies to go around. The smell of pine trees and the salty sea mingled together in the tiny lot and townsfolk beeped as they drove by on their way home from running weekend errands on the mainland. The word went out.
The Christmas trees are here!
It didn't take very long for the island's trees to be unloaded and the big truck drove away down the causeway to deliver the rest of his load. Fathers rested for a bit and then tied their own trees to the tops of their cars. Mothers rounded up the children and all the cars drove away. A convoy of Christmas tree topped cars driving up the hill and around the curve toward home. The lot was empty once again. Well, not quite as empty as it had been before. The stand is open now on weekends from 9 to 9.
We will be picking out our tree on Saturday.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening -Robert Frost
Whose woods these are I think I know
His house is in the village though
He will not see me standing here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farm house near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake
The woods are lovely, dark and deep
But I have promises to keep
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep.
This is one of my very favorite poems and Susan Jeffers has illustrated it so beautiful in the children's holiday book. I read it often to my daughters when they were young and now we read it to Joe's boys.
holiday blog hop 2013
little things Thursday
favorite things thursday
ah i love the poem as well...though i would pause in the woods as well just to experience its peace...it is a wonderful thing.....enjoy getting that tree...ours is up...
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite poems!
ReplyDeleteLovely poem...I would definitely have to pause in the woods too. Nature offers so many experiences...its where I'm happiest.
ReplyDeletethis must be a wonderful place to live-my Dad used to recite this to me, usually as we plowed our way through the snow.
ReplyDeleteGetting THE TREE is one of the most wonderful times of the season. Hope you enjoy your tree immensely!
ReplyDeleteI love that poem of Robert Frost, and the painting is pretty!
ReplyDeleteOh I've loved this poem since I was young! Thanks for your recommendation of a beautifully illustrated book--I want to try to find it. Thanks so much for joining the Holiday Hop! Much aloha, Lori
ReplyDeleteI can almost smell the evergreen - it's been ages since we enjoyed a real Christmas tree in our home.
ReplyDeleteAnd what lovely favorite things you have shared here. A delightful story and one of my all time fav poems too.
ReplyDeleteHugs, G
The tree selling sounds fun! And, yes, that Frost poem is a favorite of mine as well.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite poems! That is an appealing illustration. The story of the Christmas trees arriving is great. Merry Christmas to you!
ReplyDeleteI love to see all the freshly cut trees - but I always still with my fake tree because I can't take the mess!
ReplyDelete