Snowy Morning
Part I: Winter Chores
by North-took

When the Gaffer opened the door to taste the morning, he found the earth he knew covered by a pristine fleece of snow. He allowed himself a moment to savor the beauty before he trudged back into the warmth of the family smial.

The girls were already tending to their winter activities. Marigold practiced her stitches on a new dress for her doll, while May and Daisy resumed work on the rag rugs they would sell at the Spring Fair. The eldest of his remaining sons, Halfred, carefully painted in the outlines of letters Sam had drawn for him on a small wooden bench. Hamfast thought the lad had talent with a brush and appreciated both the coin his son's work brought and the bit of color he added to the worn furniture of 3 Bag Shot Row.

"That looks fine son," Hamfast nodded. To his eye, letters were merely decorative. "Another piece for the Spring Fair?"

Hal looked up from his work, he usually painted with his head close to the surface he was decorating. "It's for Farmer Cotton, to thank him for letting me use his tools last Summer."

"Where's that other brother of yours?"

"Sam's washing," Daisy explained as she sorted through a pile of shredded rags for pieces to braid into her rug. May's rug consisted of warm rust, browns, gold, and oranges while Daisy chose to use cooler shades of blue, green and cream.

"He washed before," Marigold giggled as she pushed the needle back into her muslin, "but Daisy sent him back. He didn't do behind his ears and there was a spot on his nose."

Daisy gave her sister a sour look and Marigold ducked her head and returned her attention to the doll dress.

Just then, Sam shuffled into the room. A bit of redness around his nose attested to recent scrubbing.

"I was lookin' for you," Hamfast said. "Snowed during the night. I'll need you to shovel our walk while I work up the Hill."

"Are you sure you don't want me to do Bag End," Sam offered. The walk leading to Bag End was the longest in the area and the Gaffer suffered terrible joint pain on wet mornings. Sometimes Sam wondered if his mother's illness ground his father's bones in the same way it chipped at his mother's strength.

Hamfast began to frown. It was a tempting offer, but he'd never been one to shirk his responsibilities or offload them onto other shoulders.

"Mum was feeling poorly last night and it would help her to know you're near," Daisy noted.

While he wouldn't lessen his workload to spare himself pain, his Bell was another matter. "Just this one time," the Gaffer accented after a moment's pause. "You be sure and do a good job now."

"I will," Sam promised.