The library

Samantha’s day started with a stop at the library. Situated in a mulberry tree, it rose above the forest floor twelve full stories high. A twisting, spiraling staircase filled the entire chamber, with each floor branching off at each tree limb. Hollowed out briefly, bookcases filled each alcove, with desks, tables and chairs placed about by windows and hallways for readers and researchers alike. As she arrived in the vestibule and hung her cloak on a hook she took out her list and noticed Dimity flitting about levels above, shelving books.

“Samantha!” she exclaimed, coming to a brief halt on the windowsill beside her. “How are you today? What can I help you with?” Dimity fluffed and settled her feathers down and hopped down onto the floor. Taking a stack of books out of the satchel on her back, she set them down on the great oak desk that filled the entrance hall. Samantha handed her the list. “I was hoping to get these delivered before the Big Storm rolls in next week.” Dimity gave the list a brief perusal before looking back at Samantha. “Oh, of course, no problem!” she reached into a cubby built into the desk for a book basket. “If you can wait a few minutes, I can get them for you now?” Samantha shook her head regretfully. “Unfortunately, I don’t have time today. I’m due down at the nursery this morning to help with the Spring Cleaning.” Dimity put the basket back and instead rung a little bell hanging from a hook set into the wall behind the desk. “That’s alright” she said, “I can have Archimedes deliver them to you.” As she spoke, a little brown and cream sparrow zoomed into the vestibule, and landed atop the giant desk. “Yes ma’am, at your service ma’am!” he chirped. His bright black eyes took in the two ladies and sparkled with curiosity. “Do you have a delivery for me to make Miss D?” he asked brightly. Samantha smothered a laugh as Dimity sighed slightly. Archimedes was very fond of flying just as fast as he could, as often as he could, and gave no never-mind to things like protocol- or scratched desks.

Milo’s Wine Cellar

Milo is the proprietor of the wine cellar- a real cellar deep under the roots of the village oak tree. A wooden staircase winds its way underneath the cheese shop at ground level, opening into the wine cellar below. A medium size space with rounded walls lined in wooden casks, shelves, urns and bottles, surmounted at the back of the room by an oak bar surrounded by chairs.

“Ladies- what can I get for you this fine morning?” Milo turned from arranging bottles on a small shelf by the bar and wiped his paws on his spotless apron. Cecily and Aubry set about unwinding themselves from their scarves while Cally dug out her shopping list. “I’m in need of a bottle of white spirits, Milo- something suitable for making lavender and rose water?” Milo’s eyebrows shot up to his brow in surprise, then he smiled briefly and pulled a good sized clear bottle from the shelves. ”And for you Cecily?” he asked- although he had a pretty good idea of what was to come next. “I’m running low on vanilla flavoring Milo. But this time I wanted to try something a little bit more…flavorful?” Cecily looked at him hopefully. He thought for a bit, then reached around the bar and handed her a small dark brown bottle of plain rum. “This ought to do the job nicely” he told her, then turned to Aubry, who had been folding her wraps over her arm and pacing around the shop while he helped her friends. “What can I get for you today, Aubry?” he swiped at his nose in an attempt to hide the grin breaking out as he noticed her fingering a flask of almond essence. “Have you any more of that lovely blackberry cordial Milo?” she asked wistfully. He looked up in surprise, then moved into the back to check. “Let me see Aubry- I’ll be just a second.” While back there he pulled out a tiny bottle of the almond essence and tucked it into a small basket with the cordial.

“That popular was it?” Milo said as he came back into the room. Aubry had just taken a few bottles at the Fall Festival. “No” she said mournfully, “well, I suppose yes- with the mice it would seem.” Everyone exclaimed in dismay and regret. “Oh no” Cally gasped. ”Not mice! How bad is it?” she shuddered as she imagined Aubry’s Inn overrun with the pests. “Oh, not too bad I think, I’ve only just noticed, and the cats haven’t told me of anything out of the ordinary. I’m thinking a good cleaning will take care of it. I just wish they hadn’t gotten to the cordials before I’d had a chance to sample them!” she grinned, then sighed dramatically. Everyone laughed, then it was time to wrap their purchases up in baskets and bags, wind up in scarves and wraps, and thank Milo for his time and patience and head out into the snow again. “No, no- thank you ladies!” Milo said heartily. He took the broom out as they all headed up the stairs. “Come again anytime!” he called, then began sweeping up the bits of debris that had come inside with them. Not a bad days work, he reflected. He put away the broom and locked up his money box. Not bad at all!

Aubry the Innkeeper

Aubry walked into the Inn’s kitchen and sat down at her desk under the window to make the weekly shopping list. It was Wednesday, the middle of the week, and all the guests had left but one. She had set the little maid to airing the rooms and let Cook know that dinner would be light today, just the maid, herself and the last guest, since Aubry would be in town all day doing the shopping. Taking out a pencil nub and a fresh sheet of thick paper, she set to work.

Flour, salt and sugar- although they liked to use their own honey from the beehives out in the garden, it was close to the end of winter, and their stock was low. Plenty of root vegetables; carrots, potatoes, turnips, yams, beets, and parsnips for certain. She would keep an eye out for anything new that might be in for Cooks’ wonderful meals of stews, bakes, mashes and salads. Salads! That’s right, Cook had asked for some greens to round out the lettuces and herb tops she used in her lunch offerings. Aubry took out her master list while she mentally reviewed the pantry. Another bag of dried beans perhaps, and some rolled oats for the morning porridge. The rice was holding out, and the lentils were fine, so she looked over the rest of the supplies.

Dried herbs for the floors- she liked to strew the straw floor in the dining room with herbs to discourage uninvited “guests”, and it made the close winter air fresh and clean smelling. More chamomile soap – she still had plenty of the rosemary. A length of linen to make a new table runner perhaps, and some new mugs to replace the ones that were broken at the WinterTide Feast. She shook her head in consternation- she ran a nice establishment, not some rowdy Pub! Mayhap this year she should think of taking bookings for the meal, instead of allowing the room to be overrun with revelers.

Aubry went to the cellar to check the wine stock and discovered that the cider was running low; she would have to arrange for delivery of two more barrels, and the mice had opened the cork on some of the bottles. Hmm...It would seem they had a preference for the blackberry cordials! She sighed softly to herself then gathered them up and took them to Cook. Maybe she could save them. She added two bottles of cordial to her list and went to fetch her purse, shawl, market basket and, after checking outside, her galoshes. Brrr! This was going to be a cold and wet trip!

The Tailor’s Shop

With the midday meal taken care of, and the dishes and napkin safely returned to the teashop, Cecily set out to finish her shopping. She stopped by the cobbler’s stall to pick out a pair of soft leather boots- now that the cold weather had set in, her feet were always blue and she needed something soft and warm to wear while she went about her duties at the shop. While she was there she found a pretty little pair of grey slippers that would go perfectly with Analise’s new winter coat. She danced a little jig while the cobbler’s assistant wrapped her packages in green paper and tied them up with string. Cecily thanked them both as she made her way out of the stall, and turned towards the tailor’s shop at the edge of the faire.
The tailor’s shop was Cecily’s favorite stop of the day. Full of colour and texture, the walls were lined with hooks holding garments, and shelves full of folded trousers and shirts filled the interior. There were hip length tunics of cotton and linen, twill pants, corduroy trousers, and shirts of silk, voile and flannel. There were even some vests of felt and hand woven tapestry hung by the door. Near the back were the coats and cloaks of woven and boiled wool, all in lovely jewel toned reds and greens and blues and browns, with a few mysterious looking black ones peeping out from the rack. There were heavy twill and linen skirts, some with embroidery borders running around the bottom edges, and aprons made of the finest linen were folded into a chest by the front. Hob even had a few pieces of silk velvet clothing- vests, trousers and a funny little tri-cornered hat made up of different colours. Cecily sighed over the silk festival dresses for a few moments before picking out some good, sturdy green and brown fustian skirts, a nice handkerchief weight linen tunic of light lavender, and a wonderful cloak full of pockets in a beautiful shade of chocolate brown, with a border of cocoa and cream embroidery.
Now her shopping basket was full to the brim, and the sun was slanting down through the trees as the afternoon turned towards evening. It was time to head home. It had been a wonderful day full of treasures and delights, and Cecily was glad she had come to the Winter Faire!

Cecily at the Winter Faire

Next Cecily stopped at the basket makers tent, it’s walls covered with baskets of all shapes and sizes, bales of reeds and grasses tucked away into the corners and rolls of floor matting stacked along the edges. She selected a few small woven containers for storing beans and grains, a new piece of matting for the hallway, and then found a floor cushion that reminded her of Zachary’s resolution to practice his meditation more often in the new year. That was her second Yule purchase- and it wasn’t even mid-morning yet! This was turning into a very productive expedition. She asked Maude if she could have her things delivered to her cottage later that evening. The basket maker agreed, saying she’d have her eldest deliver them as soon as he’d had his evening meal. Cecily thanked her and moved off to her next stop, the farmer’s stall.
Cecily hadn’t been able to dry enough grass seeds to last the whole winter, much less into the spring, so she arranged for delivery of a few bushels to be delivered later that week, along with a sack of dried beans, and a crate of late harvest apples as well. As the farmer was writing up her order she noticed a new display in the corner of lace doilies and snowy white napkins edged with beautiful embroidery. The farmer’s wife helped her pick out a matched set for her friend Jeanette, and that was her third Yule present picked out that day.
By then the sun was high in the sky, and Cecily was decidedly peckish so she headed over to the food stalls to see what was being offered. The delicious smells wafting through the air led her through the maze of tents and stalls. There was such a variety this year! Carrot and leek hand pies, lacy potato cakes, cheese stuffed mushrooms, roasted nuts, freshly baked rolls, piping hot squash soup, baked yams- and the tea shop had even set up a counter with tea service to boot! She paid for a mug of hot peppermint tea and a toasty hand pie then found a place to sit near the village green. The bakery had their doors wide open to let all the good smells advertise their offerings, and the warm air combined with the sunny day made the space right outside their door a very nice place to picnic.

The Story Continues…

Market Day pt. II
Cecily loved the winter faire! All the colourful tents, delicious aromas, and all of her friends together in one place at once- it was a really wonderful time of year. She swung her basket a little as she walked down through the village to the market square where the faire was held, twice a year – at the beginning of winter, and in the middle of summer. Today was the Winter Solstice, and Cecily intended to stock up on Yule presents and some winter supplies. She took her shopping list out of her pocket and headed into the Faire.
Cecily went to the weavers stall first for some soft downy mouse wool, strong spider’s silk thread, linen cloth for new kitchen towels, and coarser sheep’s wool yarns that would tide her over for her winter knitting. While she was there she saw the loveliest grey knitted gloves that would be perfect for Celeste, so that was her first Yule purchase of the day.

A bit of a Story…

Market Day-
In the Village Square, there was held a Bi-Annual Market. Twice a year folks from all over the land congregated to sell, and buy, and trade. Mostly…
The Winter Faire, as it happened to be named, was held at the Winter Solstice- that chilly time of year when the sun goes down earlier than it gets up in the morning, and it’s very cold, and usually very wet, and sometimes very white. It wasn’t, this year. But it was very cold, and the harvest had been quite good, so there was plenty to sell and that made it easy to buy what wasn’t harvested, but made.
Cecily got up that morning with a great sense of excitement, and expectation. She washed her face and her hands and her whiskers and put on her best dress, with her woolens underneath and her favorite knitted shawl over top, and went down to breakfast. She had a bowl of rice porridge with honey and chopped nuts and drank a mug of rosehip and lavender tea, then did the morning chores before the sun had even peeped over the edge of the world.
She swept the floor, cleaned the stone hearth, and pulled up water from the old well. She feed the birds their cracked seed, gave the milch mouse her hay, brought up some roots from the cold cellar and set the beans to soak for dinner that night. And then she fetched her basket from the pantry, tucked her list into her pocket, and headed off to the Winter Faire!

A new Idea…

Cobbwebb stalked down the trail, daring the woods to impede her progress.
No, no, no! I want a faeries tale!
Ok.
About market day in the village.
Alright.
Only it’s got to be Market Day- and it’s got to be in the Village Square!
Umm… who’s telling this story?
You are.
Ok.
…
Well, go on, tell it!
I’m thinking it up- takes a moment, you know?
Oh, alright! I’ll tell it.
Go ahead then.
All right- I will! There was a Market Day in the Village Square.
Then what?
I hadn’t got that far.
Shall I then?
Yes, please.
Alright then. Once Apon A Time…the Village was holding it’s Bi-Annual Faire, filled with stalls and tents and tables and events and goods from all the crofters from miles around…