A Christmas Promise by Wendy Lindstrom

Author:Wendy Lindstrom [Lindstrom, Wendy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: A heartwarming small town sweet historical romance
Publisher: Rustic Studio Publishing
Published: 2016-07-08T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

One of Adam’s favorite things to do was to hunt with his dad. Scout loved the hunt as much as he did. But today Adam would hunt with Leo.

After settling the team and wagon beneath a shelter on the backside of Kent’s farm, the five of them followed a rutted wagon road along a frozen cornfield. At the north corner post of the split rail fence around Kent’s cow pasture, Adam entered the woods. A sprawling sumac with flamboyant cones of red berries created a stark but magnificent contrast against the muted brown tree line.

His uncle Boyd entered the woods behind them and headed a safe distance west of Adam and Leo, but close enough to signal for help.

Adam’s dad and uncle kept walking. They would enter farther down the wood line to the east.

As Adam moved into the forest it got colder and darker, but he knew these woods well. “This way,” he said, indicating a partially worn path that wove through tall evergreens and thick, leafless birch, oak and maple trees. “This isn’t a trailhead,” he said, “but it will get us deeper into this woodlot without a lot of trouble.”

With their rifles safely on their shoulders, they navigated the woods with Scout tracking quietly. They stepped over fallen trees, and pushed past the frozen canes and dried stalks of what would become thick underbrush by summer.

“I hope you know where you’re going,” Leo said. “I’d hate to get lost out here.”

“I know this area like I know my own hands. This is one of the places Faith and I come to collect roots and herbs.” Adam pointed to an open area of conifer trees. “I pick wild mushrooms over there in the summer and fall. On the far edge of this woodlot there’s a swampy creek with a big beaver dam and a whole mess of blueberry bushes along the banks. I get berries fat as my thumb in July. We get leeks out near the dam, too, and they’re not easy to find.”

“Leeks? No thanks.”

Adam grinned. Leeks weren’t his first choice either, but he ate them. “We get water cress, cattails and colt’s foot there, too.”

“Do you eat all that stuff?”

“Not all of it. Faith uses some things to make salves and oils and poultices.”

“For what?” Leo asked, ducking beneath a low tree branch.

“Aches and pains, mostly. She makes ointments for rashes and syrup for coughs and powder for headaches.” Adam shrugged, noticing fresh tracks in the snow. He wasn’t hunting hare today, so dismissed the tracks and continued to scan the area. “She has something for just about everything.”

“It’s giving me a headache just thinking about all this.”

Adam laughed. “I’ll get some willow bark and make you tea for your headache.”

Leo snorted. “How do you know so much about this stuff?”

“Faith has been teaching me since I was four years old. She’s doing the same with Cora.”

“I guess it would be good to know, but right now I’m more concerned about what type of animal is stalking us.

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