A New Tradition - Over the River and Through the Wood to Sarah's

  
    Every year for Thanksgiving or Christmas, we make an extra batch of potato rolls to share with our landlady. It's a tradition. Our rolls are so light and fluffy and delectable that she nicknamed them "Those Heavenly Rolls." But this year, the routine of just running them up to her house has been sadly disrupted. Sarah, 91, fell down in the spring and broke her hip. She’s been convalescing at an assisted care facility in a neighboring town ever since, and even though she isn’t very far away, we miss her dearly.
     Missing Sarah reminds me of a line from the movie Little Women, where Meg, the oldest March sister says," It doesn't seem like Christmas this year without presents." Without Sarah's "grandmotherly presence," the farm is a little less festive. I know I will miss seeing her Christmas tree twinkling a warm welcome through the upstairs landing window. I will miss seeing the pine wreath with the bright red bow hanging cheerfully on her front door. I will miss telling the little girls, “Run up to Mrs. Kraft’s, now,” after filling their arms with cookies or other treats we’ve baked.
     Last year, the girls and I helped Sarah fetch a few holiday decorations stored away in the attic above her garage. We carried the boxes of tissue-wrapped ornaments out of the frosty coldness, into the  warm bedroom and set them on her bed. We carefully unwrapped each treasure, and while the girls were depositing them all over the house, Sarah gave me a pair of old miniature sleigh bells with a tinkle so sweet and pure–“They’re old,” she said, “just like everything else in my house.” No, it just doesn't seem like Christmas this year without Sarah on the farm.
    Even our potato rolls were heavier then usual. Our recipe calls for 6 cups of flour; the first four beat with a mixer, the last two added slowly by hand. For some reason, I forgot to keep the dough light and elastic as Elizabeth and I kept adding flour until we used up every last bit.
     That’s when the kneading war ensued. Elizabeth kneaded first, then I took a turn, then she took a turn, and back and forth we went. It felt so good to push and pull and pat, that we both got carried away. We took more turns, kneading over and over again, and it didn't occur to me at that time that we were making a big mistake. When I felt the dough stiffening, I should have realized we were adding way too much flour, but we were having so much fun – we didn’t care!
   About an hour later, when I peeked at the dough rising in the big enamel bread bowl, I noticed it was taking longer then usual. That’s when I realized that we had overdone the kneading process. I placed   the dough in the refrigerator to rise, and the next morning Elizabeth and Anna vigorously punched it down. And sure enough, after the rolls finally came out of the oven, they weren't as light and fluffy as usual.
     Sarah and her children celebrate Thanksgiving on a relative's farm in Wisconsin, so I asked them to stop by our house and pick up their rolls on the way out of town. I warned Sarah, these rolls are not as “heavenly” as usual. "Well, maybe we shouldn't eat them," she quipped. But she was only teasing. She wouldn't pass up a chance to taste her potato rolls, even if they were a little more “down to earth!” 
      I filled a basket for Sarah with a few holiday goodies: a box of English tea, a bottle of honey, and some foil-wrapped truffles. But the best gifts I included are the things that money can't buy – an envelope with pictures of the farm in the autumn and the girls playing with their pet goat Bullseye out in the leaves – precious once in a life-time experiences caught through the eye of a truly grateful beholder. I also included a copy of the poem Over the River and Through the Wood for Sarah to read to her children on her way up in the car.
      When I talked with Sarah after Thanksgiving, she thanked me for “those heavenly rolls.” She also told me that she had become a little mixed up and thought my children had written the poem. Her daughter-in-law explained that it wasn’t written by us, but it tickles me that Sarah would think my children were so clever with words. Our Thanksgiving experience hardly compares with the words penned 150 years ago by Lydia Maria Child. Even when Sarah was a girl (she was born in 1916), sleigh rides to grandmother’s house were certainly in order, but I’m afraid for most of us, they’ve gone out of style now.
     In my heart of hearts, the poem Over the River and Through the Wood has become more real than ever because I am living out some of those delightful verses on the farm that belongs to a gracious woman named Sarah – a dear lady we have come to love as our own. Even though grandma isn’t living with us on the farm this Christmas, we will bring similar verses to her through the words and pictures we preserve – images savored and cherished from the sights and smells of the season – the scenes that make up the moments of our lives.
     In a few weeks we will go visiting–announcing glad tidings and bearing gifts as we traverse afar, piling ourselves (and our presents) into the car to journey over the river and through the wood to bring some Christmas cheer to Sarah, the kindest and sweetest grandmother we know.  

 
Good Old-Fashioned Potato Rolls

12:08 PM - Nov. 29, 2007 - post comment

Oh...

How beautiful a story that is...I always loved the Little Women stories, my mother read them to us and talked to us about them for as long as I can remember. It's definitely a series Kelsey and I will be reading together soon. Sarah is so blessed to have you and your family living nearby and when she comes home you will be able to go through the woods again.

Love,
Nancy

nancysnook - 11:07 PM - Dec. 2, 2007

Just to let you know...

Hi Mrs. Novak,
This was a really great post. I thoroughly enjoyed it. So much that I included it in The Homesteading Carnival #27: Newness Edition.
Please come by and see.
Thank you,
As Always,
Amanda
http://homesteadblogger.com/SuperHorseSteader/78096/

Amanda - 8:45 AM - Dec. 3, 2007

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Hello.... thank you for the comment. I am glad you enjoyed everything. I will send pictures when I can.

Please send some "heavenly rolls" this way. I am hungry. ; )

Also, what happened to your beautiful background and header? Are you going to be adding new ones?

And, just wondering... were you guys able to send the photoshop today?

Blessings!
Jocelyn

Jocelyndixon - 8:14 PM - Dec. 3, 2007

congrats

I love the Litle Women stories. My grandchildren call me Marmee.

Congratulations on receiving the Homeschool Blogging Award nomination. You're part of a great bunch.
http://heartofwisdom.com/blog

heartofwisdom - 8:35 AM - Dec. 5, 2007

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Hi Jill, my name is Vicki. I am an avid reader of Eric's blog, and great blog friends with the Dixon's, so I thought I'd pop over here and check out your blog...

I have to laugh at the previous post about Eric liking to make noise...His blog says quiet and peaceful to me!! Maybe it's peaceful noise..*LOL*

In any case, I love your blog!!

God Bless!
Vicki @ www.prairierosesamongthorns.com/vblog

Vicki - 7:08 PM - Dec. 6, 2007

Oh Marmee!

I absolutely loved this post! I know what you mean about not having something that you have always had for that year. If we didn't have the goats, the barn would seem empty. If we didn't have Caleb to chase, the house would seem quiet.

I hope your rolls turned out ok! It sounds like you had a lot of fun!

Thank you for posting this for me. I didn't know you did.

Have a lovely day, Marmee!
Love,
Rachel

rjdjohn316 - 7:07 AM - Dec. 11, 2007

A New Tradition

I loved this post thank you. We started a new tradition last year making these lovely rolls at Christmas time and we'll make some today to freeze ready to be given away next week. They are the best rolls, my girls love making them.

Helen in Australia - 11:41 AM - Dec. 14, 2007

Heavenly Rolls!!

Hello Jill !
I just had to tell you that I made the rolls, and I know why they are called heavenly! We LOVED them! My sister and brother in law came over this evening with their kids, and had some also, they thought they were delicious . Definitely a keeper recipe. Thank you so much for sharing it.

Dianna Castillo - 5:44 PM - Mar. 2, 2008

Your blog and this post!

I don't know how I've missed your blog but I recently subscribed to it. What a GIFT as all of your writing proves to be!

I've been here with a hot cup of tea steaming into the chilly day (for us) reading. I find myself smiling, relating, connecting, shaking my head and with a tear glistening from my heart.

Beautiful. Simply beautiful. Thank you for sharing....

love,
Sandy

Anonymous - 9:32 AM - Oct. 24, 2008

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