The moon was high and the snow thick on the ground as Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, Peter, Susan and Lucy hurriedly shouldered their bundles and left the cozy dam. Edmund’s disappearance confirmed their suspicions that he was in league with the White Witch and they were in mortal peril. I remember willing Mrs. Beaver to hurry, HURRY, as the wolves sent to kill them got closer and closer.
At last they departed, the children following Mr. Beaver on a path that meandered next to the frozen river. I pictured that scene so many times, envisioning the white world glowing and magical in the moonlight. I imagined the slippery ice of the dam, the deep snow they trudged through, their much-too-big fur coats leaving a trail behind them. I thought hiking all night long must have been horrible, and felt their pain as their burdens felt heavier, their feet dragged and eyelids drooped.
Finally they stopped as Mr. Beaver veered off the path and scurried into a hole in a dense thicket. They climbed in after him, finding a snug little cave, dry and safe from prying eyes. It was cramped and the ground uneven, but with so many bodies (and a sip from Mr. Beaver’s flask!) they were soon warm and fast asleep.
They woke hours later as daylight glimmered through the opening, and were jolted into alertness by the sound of jingling bells. Fear gripped them as Mr. Beaver slipped out of the cave to see who it was, and their hearts leapt in fright as voices drifted down. Surely Mr. Beaver had been caught by the White Witch!
Within moments, however, Mr. Beaver was calling cheerily for them to come out and join him. So blinking and rumpled and dirty, they emerged from the cave and scrambled up the steep bank. There were reindeer and a sleigh and bells, but instead of the evil White Witch stood the massive, bearded, and red-robed Father Christmas. I remember thinking how lucky they were to meet him, how comforting that solid, beaming man must have been after their terrifying flight in the dark.
Father Christmas brought more than presents and jollity that day, he brought strength and a renewed hope that all was not lost. He bestowed gifts on them: a sewing machine for Mrs. Beaver, a mended dam for her husband, shield and sword for Peter, bow, arrows and horn for Susan, and for Lucy a small dagger and a vial of healing cordial.
Then Father Christmas produced a large tray laden with cups and saucers, sugar bowl, cream jug and “a great big teapot all sizzling and piping hot.” And with a shouted “Merry Christmas! Long live the true King!” he was off.
Before the men could get side-tracked examining Peter’s weapons, Mrs. Beaver gathered them round for bread and ham sandwiches and steaming cups of strong tea. What a lovely respite after much danger and tension.
But their adventure had only begun. 🙂
Krista’s Ham Sandwich
2 slices dark rye bread, sliced thin
sweet hot mustard
2-3 thinly sliced pieces of ham
1 large slice Havarti cheese
Directions:
- Spread bread with mustard and top with ham and Havarti.
- Place under broiler for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted.
one of my favorite books… and I love your illustrations. 🙂
Mine too, Marye! 🙂 Such a fabulous story. I’m glad you like the photos. 🙂
Love your tea set! And there’s nothing like havarti and rye. yum! Thank you for being a smile in my pain-filled day. 🙂
Me too, Marie! Bob brought it back for me from Russia and I LOVE it! 🙂 I’m so glad I could give you a smile, and I hope, hope, hope your pain eases soon. BIGGEST of hugs!
Krista, keep those posts coming. We are enjoying them so much. Just a quick question. Where do you get the photos? do you take them yourself? some are so stunning!
Thank you so much, Angela! 🙂 I’m so glad you like them. 🙂 I take all my own photos. Once or twice I used one of Ryan’s, but other than that, they’re all mine. 🙂
Love how gorgeous the plates look against the green grass! And love the tea plate especially 🙂 xxSAS
Your writing and photography never fails to put me in a better mood, it’s as though I can finally just take a deep breath and relax.
I love the apple photo! Very stunning. Now I’m in the mood for some Turkish delight. 🙂
Thank you! 🙂 I’ve received so many wonderful comments the last couple of days, it’s unbelievable.
What a beautiful teapot! Makes me kind of jealous. I love teapots!
Krista
This was a poetic and wonderful illustration of the story; I especially fell for the ending: that rye bread is calling me! looks so dark and dense and rustic and soul-satisfying!
Wow! I love that story. The photos for your afternoon tea are beautiful. This was a really nice post.
Thank you, Sarah! The color contrast delighted me too. 🙂 My brother brought them back for me from Russia and I adore them. 🙂
I’m SO glad to know that, Valerie. 🙂 I want this to be a peaceful place. The apple photo makes me smile too. 🙂
I’m so glad, Malin!! You deserve every kind word imaginable. 🙂 It’s my favorite teapot, brought back from Russia by my brother. 🙂
I’m so glad you like it, Joumana. It was such a pleasure to write. 🙂 I adore that rye bread. I get it in big loaves at the Russian deli and slice it thinly. Mmm. 🙂
Thank you, Velva! 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed it. It was such fun putting that tea party together. 🙂
Nice story and I like your selection of pictures. The fruit in the snow is a nice picture too.
yes me too thinking that’s a nice tea set! and the sandwich is working for me. simple but satisfying. have i said this already? you look like you are having fun taking pictures and i love that apple in the snow! what a surprising image. (but where are you finding the snow?)
What a fabulous post Krista! I love how you’ve illustrated it with your own photos 😀 I have a similar set of cups as your “twig” sugar bowl. So cute!
You have beautifully illustrated a wonderful tale. I hope you are having a wonderful day. Blessings…Mary
omg u just managed to being so many great fantasy memories back to my life haha. love it <3
I’m so glad you like it, Skog! 🙂 I’m delighted to meet you. 🙂
I AM having fun, Paradis! Alas, my camera screen quit last night so I am photographing blind and hope to get a new camera soon. Heavens. 🙂 I love that apple one too. 🙂 I took it a few months back when I took a friend up to see snow in the mountains. 🙂
Thank you SO much, Lorraine! I’m so happy you like it too. I love that twig sugar bowl – a gift from a friend. 🙂
Thank you very much, Mary. I have had a wonderful day, and had so much fun taking those pictures. 🙂
Aww, that makes me happy, Kelsey! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Love, love, love the tea pot and the sarnie…….And the story!
Thank you, Ozoz! It’s a treasured gift from my brother. 🙂 The story was so fun to write. 🙂