Sunday, October 28, 2012

Winter in Annapolis


My earliest memories of Christmas are those that came in Annapolis. My father drove to work every morning in our little red car, my mother busied herself with my new baby brother. The absence of knowing we had so little, a precious gift. A brand new sled expected under the tree.


The gifts you remember all of your life, are the ones hoped for the most. Christmas day spent on nearby hilly slopes ended only when hunger called. My new sled left by the front door was never seen again.


Left in it's place was a monstrosity another child didn't want. An eagle clutching arrows across it's back, red runners keeping it high above the snow. Flexible Flyer, emblazoned across it's steering slats. I never wanted to sled again.


For every winter that would come with snow in my childhood, a secret about my sled would gladden my heart. It's ungainly size allowed it to slid through the deepest of snow faster than any other. I would wait through endless taunts until just the right moment. A race to the finish, I knew I would win.


Every child should have such a special moment when they know they are the best. Shy and withdrawn all the months of the year, bold and courageous in the months with snow. even if only under the lamplight cast through a dark winter's night.


I love the coming of winter with all of my heart. My spirit soars with the anticipation of the first snowfall, and the sweetness of the memories brought about by a sled.


THANK YOU ELAINE, Honeysuckle Hollow FOR MY WONDERFUL SANTA HOUSE!


28 comments:

Unknown said...

Love the story and the picture of your Dad, brother and yourself!!

chris

Ina said...

I LOVE those little snow men heads on pipe cleaners! very cute! ;p

Erica of Golden Egg Vintage said...

A very cute story E. Sleding was a favorite around here too. There is a HUGE hill at the local golf course. And each year it turns into a sleding destination. I have very specific memories of flying down it so fast, flipping off of the sled, and getting the wind knocked out of me!
Those were the days! :)
Thanks for the memories!
Erica

Laurie said...

Just beautiful! Your story brought back such great memories!

lynn said...

ohhh i love family photos.. especially when the loved ones are not with us anymore.. you all looked so happy and the decorations are adorable... such sweet snowmen
i grew up in Erie, Pa.. and there was alot of snow.. and those are my favorite memories... going on sled rides with my father and six siblings.
have a great weekend.. and big hugs

vivian said...

My parents used to take us sledding on this big hill called cobbs hill. my mother would bring a thermos of hotchoc and some grahmcrackers. She would wait in the car with the heat running and my dad would sled with the four of us. wish I had pictures! but I'm glad I remember this!
and then taking my own kids was always a blast. One time the snow had been rained on so it had a frozen crust on it, so when you climbed the hill you had to stomp your feet into it or you would slide right back down. we all managed to get up.. except robby. he didnt weigh enough to stomp, so I tried to help him and I couldnt get us up the hill together. He was so mad. Looking back, I'm thinking it was probably a dangerous sledding day being that the snow was covered with a sheet of ice! We all remember the day that poor robby couldnt get up the hill!
love your creations Elizabeth!!
xoxo

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful life lesson to remember! Thanks! ♥

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

Sweet creations, Elizabeth! I heard the "s" word was in the forecast as a possibility this week. You may get your wish sooner than expected!

Musings from Kim K. said...

Another precious story mixed with your precious creations. The picture of you with your brother and father is priceless.

~Damita's Pretty Wrap~ said...

Love the old photo of your family and snowmen :) Such a cute Santa House you received, and love those little snowmen you made on the pipe cleaners :)

Unknown said...

Great lesson on when you given lemons......I didn't have any hills in Parma, but we still tried to sled where ever we could! :) Sandy

Debby said...

I love snow. I just got back from Colorado and they had snow. Makes me immediately ready to get ready for Christmas.
I love your new snowy creations.

laurie -magpie ethel said...

Great story. I think you need to go hop on a sled this winter! We sled in our neighborhood on the rare occasion we get snow on Henry St. Referred to as Henry Hill.

E said...

Sledding is my favorite memory. We had a great hill in front of our house, and we would stand in the middle of an intersecting road to stop traffic so we could sail through the stop. In those days people gladly stopped and waved . Sooo fun seeing my little gift sitting in the middle of all your things ! E

Holly said...

Great story. We don't get much snow here maybe a few days worth. But when it snows we always dust off my vintage sled from my childhood. Hopefully this year we will get some good snow days! Love the Snowsuit Sledding feltie!

My Vintage Mending said...

Snow...my favorite. It makes everything so clean and quiet...I will make sure to take a ride on a sled for you this winter...smiles..Renee

vintage grey said...

Sweet story! i wish I grew up with snow, but we did have a cabin that I did a couple winters get to play and ride my grandpa's sled! Have a lovely week! xo Heather

RetroSandie said...

That was quite a story, E! And you managed to turn things around with lots of good endings!! I had my sister's old sled, named, Ol Betsy! And Ol Betsy could fly! She got dragged all over wherever good sledding was to be had! Lots of good memories sliding with friends-there was a nice hill right out in the back of where we lived...there was the slick Water Tower hill that grew very icy...there was nice sledding at Capron Park where my little girlfriend and I hit a tree! (Not hurt!!) And sledding on the rolling snow covered hills of one of the local golf courses. Oh, and walking around in the back when it was so cold, clear, and crisp, dragging Ol Betsey, looking up at the stars and singing Silent Night. And then tramping off into the woods during a snowstorm....wearing 9 pairs of sox, tights plus thermals the last pair was a pair of Dad's old wool hunting sox, 3 pair of wool pants, hat scarf, sweater, warm wool coat, and 3 or 4 pair of mittens. Some old boots I liked, no shoes-just all of those sox. Yep, snow used to be a lot of fun when I was a kid growing up. Every day was a new adventure. ...And hot chocolate made with baker's choc, sugar, and evaporated milk with fluff on top. Yummm...thanks for the slide down memory lane!!! XOXO

RetroSandie said...

Oh E - and I love you two red fellows -they look like red snowsuits like you are wearing!!! And the long-legged snowmen! All cuties!! XO

Bethany said...

I have Pintrest to thank for discovering that You are BACK, I had checked and rechecked your blog, hoping for a new post. It would seem that I gave up too soon. I just spent a lovely evening catching up with your blog. Happy Belated Birthday. You share it with my miracle boy who just turned 12. I don't know what brought you back, I'm just thankful! Now, I just have to choose which craft to try. I'm thinking I need to try a Whitman shadow box. Yippee!

LBP said...

Love your story and your characters! We usually don't get a lot of snow this far south but usually at least one snow a year is deep enough to go sledding. We go to the elementary school where there are great hills that end in the football field. No trees or obstacles to worry about. I still use my Flexible Flyer!

Linda

craftyles said...

I grew up around Chicago, so I can relate to your sledding stories. I loved to sled and ice skate. The photo of you as a girl is precious.

Teresa said...

WOW! You were even creative when decorating your snowmen. That is the best picture & story. Love that you created a felt craft just like your snowsuit. I hope you have a Happy Halloween!

Yesteryear Embroideries said...

How I love reading this post! These kinds of christmas's is what makes the best memories.

Tammy's in Love said...

I was born in Dec of 57 and I think I look about three, maybe four years old when Santa brought me a Flexible Flyer! Plenty of snow in Minnesota and my sled served me for years. I remember walking with my sled on my back, arms thru the runners going to the
HUGE sledding hill in our neighborhood! The tobaggans won the races down the hils here but I do remember not knowing how to steer and cutting sideways across the hill IN FRONT of other sledders! I'm lucky to have lived to adulthood to tell this story!

donna said...

You have the sweetest of stories. I just love to read them and see all the things you have created. Thank you so much for sharing your pattern.
Hugs
donna

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