In keeping with the Christmas holiday season, I am sharing a scene from Chapter 15 of Frontier Heart as newlyweds Troy and Carrie Carson prepare for the holiday in their snug log cabin situated in the wilderness land of the Ohio Valley following the American Revolutionary War.
{{ Christmas filled the air and the snug cabin nestled in the birch grove showed it. Branches of evergreens were tied with a bright red ribbon and perched atop the window frames. Bunches of holly with their gay berries were arranged in bowls, pinecones poked up from under the shiny green leaves to adorn the fireplace mantle. A festive, decorated Yule log sat in a place of honor on the hearth and the scent of cinnamon and nutmeg drifted from the stone oven. Carrie hummed snatches of Christmas carols as she rolled the pie dough into a flaky circle on the smooth table top. She looked over to watch Alex as he played with his wooden animal menagerie.
Troy entered the cabin with a gust of cold wind nipping at his heels, closing the door firmly. He hung up his outer clothes as he surveyed the scene. He had never felt happier. His son sat talking in babbling baby talk to his animals lined up on the rug and Carrie was singing as she placed sliced apples in a tin pie pan and covered it with pastry. Life had become perfect and Troy suddenly shivered; too perfect to last he feared. He must be ever vigilant now that he had even more to lose. }}
