Comfort Read #2

Sleigh Bells for Windy Foot, Frances Frost

This one goes way back for me, probably 1965-1966 from the Stadium School library, second in a four-book series about the Clark family living on their small farm in post-war Vermont. It's the story of Toby Clark, the eldest of three children, and his adventures with his family and his pony Windy Foot, given to him for his 12th birthday in the opening novel, Windy Foot at the County Fair.

In that story, Toby met Tish Burnham, daughter of widower Jerry Burnham, an owner of fine race horses. Tish rides her pony in the pony race at the county fair, which Toby wins, but they become fast friends. In this book the Clarks prepare for a Christmas visit from Tish and her dad.

It floors me every time I read this book how much work the Clark family does each day, but they still have time to go to carol sings and Christmas shopping, and have a Christmas party. I get tired just from Toby's daily schedule having to help milk the cows, chopping wood for his mother's stove, and four million other farm chores, plus in this story he cuts down a larger two-passenger sleigh so he can take Tish on a sleigh ride with Windy Foot! And later he has to guard the house against a bear that is killing farm livestock. And he and his sister Betsy still have time to go into the woods to gather Christmas greens, and play with rhyming little brother Johnny (who, I admit, can get a little annoying!).

This is one of those warm, old-fashioned stories you read with a cup of cocoa in an armchair. Nostalgia by the mile. Comfort. Home. Family.