Another installment of Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle. 100 words or so based on the image below. Click on the lil frog icon (after this piece) and come join us!
It Was Good For Something
The best thing about Christmas used to be working at our family’s fir-tree farm. Weeks before Thanksgiving the pace around the place kicked up a notch. That’s when Grandpa drove up from Detroit. Once he arrived, the ritual would begin.
I remember one Christmas in particular. I was 10½. Falling snow barely misted the ground. The moon was full and the stars seemed to dance golden in the sky.
Grandpa and I headed for the barn where he stored his old Edsel digger-dozer contraption. We used it for tree hauling. That year he let me uncover it.
Ellespeth
Photo Prompt © – Jean L. Hays
Views From A Poet 
Nice description of a snowy Christmas, and a touching portrayal of the relationship between the grandpa and child.
LikeLike
Though I never met him – and he wasn’t a tree farmer – I had my husband’s grandpa in mind when I wrote this piece. I’ve heard some great stories about him.
Ellespeth
LikeLike
Nice memory, even if you imagined it 🙂
LikeLike
I’ve never been in a barn…so that would be a great memory…I’m really happy you passed by to read t his piece, Marie. Hope all’s well!
Ellespeth
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awww…that is so awesome!
LikeLike
Poor Edsel, though 😛 Looks painful.
Ellespeth
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love your Christmas reminiscing story. Brings back many wonderful times.
LikeLike
🙂 It’s amazing what stories came from this photograph! Thanks for reading this piece and for your comment, Mike…
Ellespeth
LikeLike
Ellespeth, Christmas memories are some of the best. My dad used to bring my grandmother out from the city and we’d drive to church together. He loved to trim the tree with me and hang a big wreath on the door. Lovely and well-written story. 🙂 — Susan
LikeLike
Thanks, Susan! It’s something about visiting the grandparents or the grandparents visiting that used to make holidays special for me, too, as a child.
Ellespeth
LikeLike
There’s nothing like holiday memories from childhood, is there?
Marie Gail
LikeLike
I tried to imagine a calm meaningful holiday season. Thanks for passing by!
Ellespeth
LikeLike
That was a very sweet story.. Good memories of Christmas are rarely the gifts..
LikeLike
Rarely is right. Of course there was that Christmas the Rudolph left a ‘hoof print’ in my dolly case!
Ellespeth
LikeLike
Well told Christmas memory! Grandparents are special, yes?
LikeLike
Thanks, Alicia. This grandpa does seem special. My own Christmas memories are of the French Quarter in New Orleans where I grew up and the bayou where my mom’s family lived.
This was fun to imagine, though. I’d love to experience a white Christmas without the Edsel parts involved 😛
Ellespeth
LikeLike
Dear Elespeth,
Isn’t it amazing how the slightest thing passed from grandfather to grandson acquires a kind of special magic? This was a great slice of life, well imagined and well told.
Aloha,
Doug
LikeLike
It is amazing, Doug. When ever my husband talks about spending time with his grandfather – in his work shed – it sounds like magical memories. Those are nice to have…and fun to imagine, too!
Elespeth
LikeLike
Dear Ellespeth,
Sweet memories. Grandpa was a mover and a shaker, wasn’t he? Nicely done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
It was fun imagining it! What a photo prompt, Rochelle! Much fun…
My grandpa was a Chevrolet man. I was still driving his 1971 Malibu in 1997!
Ellespeth
LikeLike
Lovely memories of a childhood. I have lovely memories of Christmas rituals as well, for me it always started when Gran came down from Scotland to stay.
LikeLike
Alas, I grew up in New Orleans so I’ve never experienced snow at Christmas or tree farms 😛 One of my family’s friends did own an Edsel,though. I was five or six…the car seemed as big as a planet!
I like rituals, though. They’re comforting. Your Christmas one sounds wonderful!
Ellespeth
LikeLike