Grandma’s House

Grandma’s house was magical.  No place has ever held as much charm for me as that little pine log cabin did during my childhood.  If I close my eyes (sigh) I can almost go back there in my mind.  The sound of Grandma’s laughter would ring thru the house.  Her sweet voice spoke kindly to all who entered there.  The fragrance of her house was gladdening.  The rich balm of the rustic pine logs … the pungent aroma of coffee brewing on the hearth (grandma loved her coffee) … the enticing spices that flowed from her little brick oven … and just the slightest smell of smoke that rose from the crackling fire that warmed and cheered us, it was the smell of love and contentment.  Their bouquet is etched in my memory.  Even to this day it will rush me back there when I catch their scent.

The very best of times were cousin sleep overs at her house.  My older brother Jonah and I loved to “camp out” on the floor by the hearth with our younger cousins Johnny and Leela.

Jonah and Grandma always chatted a lot.  She said she had him first so he had just gotten used to having a lot to say to her.

I spent lots of time with Leela my baby cousin.  She loved to copy whatever I did.  I pretended to be annoyed but secretly I liked it.

Grandma knew what delighted our hearts and she did not forget any of our favorite snacks. After eating our fill of her wonderful cooking and before we would pull out all of her pillows and blankets and “prepare” our beds she would call us to story time. 

Oh how we loved story time.  Grandma would write out her stories in little note books to share with us.  We always were the stars of her story.

“Once upon a time …” she would begin softly.  Instantly we were spellbound.  Her eyes twinkled as she leaned in to whisper (our favorite part), “There were four little fae who went to visit their Grammy fae.”

As we listened it was not long before her soft voice drew us to a far off enchanted woods ….

“Grammy fae was so happy to see them.  She loved to have them visit her.  She had planned to make a very special treat for them.  ‘Now my little fae,’ Grammy fae said, ‘I wish to make you a dainty berry pudding.’  The little fae gasped they could scarcely believe their ears.  Oh they loved dainty berry pudding!  Their merry little faces turned up at her made Grammy Fae so happy.  Smiling, she instructed ‘you my sweet little fae must go gather the berries for the pudding and return them to me so I can bake your treat.’

Joyously they scurried off with berry buckets in hand.

Little fae E was the first to find some yummy blue berries.  She placed them all very PROPERLY in her berry bucket.

Little fae Jo found the strawberries all fat red and ripe.  It was hard not to eat too many of them but he got most of them in the bucket.

Little fae LeLe scampered to the back of the park where she knew the huckleberries were ripe.

She filled her bucket to the brim.

Now little fae JonJon, he loves berry pudding as much as any little fae possibly can.  It is not that he did not want to pick the berries.  It is  just that, well , he has adventure in his heart.

There is so much to see and do at the park ..

the tree branches are perfect for swinging!

There are such wonderfully huge puddles to slosh around in  …

There are frogs to befriend and fish to catch …

AND someone has to watch out for pirates!  What is a fae boy supposed to do???

Grammy fae was pleased with all the beautiful berries they brought to her.

She went right to work on the preparations and before long the table was set with the most splendid treats.

A dainty berry pudding, chamomile tea AND a lovely fish caught by little fae Jonjon.

The happy fae and JonJon’s new frog friend gathered around Grammy fae’s table to enjoy  a wonderful afternoon together in the enchanted woods.  The End.“

Our eyelids grew so heavy.  With our thoughts filled with sweet images and our tummys full we quickly drifted off to sleep in the happiest place in the world.

They were wondrous days.  I loved grandma so and I wanted to go see her every day.   She was my special someone.  She is gone now but she lives on in our hearts and thru her story books which I read to my own children.  I always tell them, there was no place in the whole wide world like grandma’s house.   Grandma’s house was magical.

<<previous short story  The Chair  … next short story Eleanor >>

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Author’s note MANY thanks to the wonderful builders and cc artist who contributed so much to this story!

If you see any cc you are interested in please post me a request and I will do th best i can to dig out links.