December 10 – Lisa and Neil<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Several ornaments were then presented, along with the stories of when they received or made them, and Molly noticed that as each was placed on the tree, the evergreen seemed to shine a bit brighter. It could just be nothing, but she doubted it. Something was happening. She just couldn\u2019t put her finger on it yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You could be overthinking this too,<\/em> she told herself ruefully. Sometimes a tree decorating is just that. It doesn\u2019t have to be anything else.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Except look at the people who started it, <\/em> Schrodinger said dryly. There\u2019s always a deeper motive for at least one of them, and probably all three.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n As if he\u2019d heard, Old Man Winter looked over at them and winked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Truth, <\/em>Molly conceded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next people to step up were neighbors of Molly and Schrodinger. Lisa and Neil Jackson owned the farm next door to CrossCat Farm, and they had, among other things, a herd of reindeer. In the winter, they (like many other residents of Carter\u2019s Cove) preferred to hitch one of the reindeer to a sleigh and travel that way. It was easier, especially on the outskirts of town, where the snow tended to drift high. Molly, Drew and Schrodinger had their own sleigh and often borrowed one of the reindeer to pull it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe came to the Cove late in life,\u201d Lisa said, looking at her husband. \u201cIt\u2019s our retirement home, and Starfield Farm has been good to us. We\u2019d both been physicians, you see, and lived and worked in a big city. Now, well, it\u2019s good to take care of ourselves and the people around us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Neil nodded. \u201cThe Farm, and the Cove, taught us how to slow back down. Smell the roses, or the evergreens, as the case may be. It\u2019s something that the rest of the world seems to have forgotten.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd we found it by accident.\u201d Lisa laughed. \u201cWe took a wrong turn and got lost. The realtor was not happy with us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The grey descended, and when it cleared, Molly and Schrodinger found themselves out in the summer woods of Maine. In front of them sprawled a large farmhouse with the roof of a barn peeking over one of the ells. As they watched, a small car drove up the dirt road that disappeared into the trees. It was definitely a city car – small, energy-efficient, and easy to park on crowded streets. In front of the big house, it looked like a toy a child had abandoned by a dollhouse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Neil and Lisa got out, and looked around. \u201cIt\u2019s perfect,\u201d Lisa said happily. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI don\u2019t think this is where we were supposed to be, though,\u201d Neil said, looking around. \u201cI don\u2019t see a for sale sign anywhere, and wasn\u2019t the realtor supposed to meet us?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMaybe she\u2019s running late?\u201d Lisa suggested. \u201cI mean, it\u2019s possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMaybe.\u201d Neil sounded dubious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As they stood there, the woodland silence enveloped them. Starfield Farm, like CrossCat Farm, was isolated from the main road into town, and so the muted noises of cars and trucks on the highway to Portland or Augusta rarely intruded. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet\u2019s just look around while we wait for her,\u201d Lisa said, setting off to the farmhouse. \u201cI\u2019m sure she\u2019ll be along.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She climbed the wide steps to the front door, and then stopped in shock. An older woman had stepped out of the front door, a puzzled frown on her face. \u201cWe don\u2019t get much visitors here,\u201d the older woman said finally. \u201cYou lost?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re..ah, we\u2019re here to look at the farm for sale?\u201d Lisa said, faltering a little. \u201cWe\u2019re the Jacksons.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The woman continued to frown, and Molly found herself holding her breath. \u201cWhere you from, then?\u201d the woman said finally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBoston,\u201d Neil said, coming up beside his wife. \u201cWe\u2019re retiring. Looking to get away from the bustle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDo some writing,\u201d Lisa added. \u201cAnd maybe pottery. Grow vegetables and flowers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFarm\u2019s a lot of work,\u201d the woman said. \u201cNot a toy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, it\u2019s not,\u201d Neil agreed. \u201cBut it\u2019s a different kind of work, and one we\u2019re both looking forward to.\u201d He looked down at his wife and smiled. \u201cGetting some animals. Splitting wood. Getting to know the woods.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The woman looked around. \u201cThis is a long way from Boston.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhich is why it\u2019s perfect,\u201d Lisa said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019ll get lonely?\u201d It was an odd question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got each other,\u201d Neil said. \u201cA couple of dogs. And we have two boys that will bring their friends over.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWriting retreats,\u201d Lisa said. \u201cPottery friends. And lovely time away from everything the rest of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another long silence. Then the woman said, \u201cWell, why don\u2019t you come in for a cup of tea and some scones? We can talk. I wasn\u2019t planning on selling, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lisa looked aghast. \u201cAre we in the wrong place? I\u2019m so sorry!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The woman waved her hand. \u201cI\u2019m Laurel. Come in and we\u2019ll talk.\u201d The frown dissolved into a smile. \u201cI made the scones this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As they mounted the steps, the scene faded, bringing Molly and Schrodinger back to the present. Lisa held up the reindeer ornament. \u201cIf it wasn\u2019t for a map-reading mistake, and our own enthusiasm, we might have never known the wonderful people we know. I\u2019ve never forgotten that, and we still get Christmas cards and postcards from Laurel. She loves to know how the farm is going.\u201d She looked at the ornament. \u201cShe gave us our first chickens, and the beginning of our reindeer herd. I can\u2019t imagine life any other way.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s taught us that what you\u2019re looking for isn\u2019t always what you think it is,\u201d Neil said. \u201cSometimes it\u2019s something you just stumble across that\u2019s what you need.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" December 10 – Lisa and Neil Several ornaments were then presented, along with the stories of when they received or made them, and Molly noticed that as each was placed on the tree, the evergreen seemed to shine a bit brighter. It could just be nothing, but she doubted it. Something was happening. She just …<\/p>\n