Chapter Seven
The service the followingmorning was unlike any Belle had ever attended.They sang a hymn, said a prayer, and read over one chapter in the book of John.They discussed the chapter verse by verse, and when they were finished, they sang another hymn and said another prayer.Then they all spent a little time talking to one another before they were finished for the week.
Belle and Everett were the last two people at the Johnsons’ house, and Katie asked them if they’d like to stay for lunch.Belle readily agreed.She had planned to make sandwiches for lunch, but it would be good to spend time with another couple.
Belle and Katie worked together in the kitchen to get the roast Katie had in the oven ready for the table.There were carrots and oddly shaped potatoes.At least Katie said they were potatoes.“They’re a potato native to Alaska that you can forage around here.I grow other potatoes in the garden, but these are what the natives eat.”
“Then I will surely try them.”Belle had never been a picky eater, so she was certain she would enjoy the food, even if it did look strange.
Belle carried a bowl filled with potatoes and carrots to the table where the men were already sitting, and Katie carried in the roast.“I’m also serving a loaf of Belle’s bread that I hid from the men yesterday,” Katie said with a twinkle in her eye.
Belle laughed.“I’m surprised you were able to hide one!”
“I am as well,” Katie said, shaking her head.“The men all but pounced on your baked goods.”
Mr.Johnson asked Everett to pray over their meal.After the blessing, Katie smiled at Belle.“Would you be willing to go foraging for berries very early in the morning?Bernard has his day planned and watching the store is not part of the day he expects to have.”
Belle smiled.“I can go whenever you would like.”
“Let’s say six then.That’ll give us three hours before the store opens.”
“And what will we forage for tomorrow?”Belle asked.“What type of berries?”
“We’ll get some wild strawberries.I’ll also be looking for cow parsnip and Eskimo potatoes.The kind I fixed for this meal.”
“Well, I’ll plan to look for those as well.I’m sure Everett would appreciate all the variety I can bring to the table.”
“I would,” Everett said with a nod.“I prefer traditional potatoes, but I will happily eat Eskimo potatoes.”
“That sounds as if I can make it happen.How do you feel about strawberry shortcake?”
“I will eat any sweet you want to feed me,” Everett said, grinning at her.“I don’t know why I waited so long to get a wife.”
Katie laughed.“The man loves to eat.”
“Don’t they all?”Belle asked.
After lunch, Belle helped Katie with the dishes, and then she and Everett took a walk through the woods.“I thought you’d want to see my operation,” he said.
“I’d love to!Then I know where to find you if I need to.”
He took her to a sawmill and led her into the attached office.“This is where I spend most of my days.I work at the sawmill as well as do the books.So, if I’m not out there, I’m in here.”
She looked around the small room, noting the scarred desk and the old chair.“Looks like your furniture here has seen better days.”
“It has.”He shrugged.“It’s got everything I need.Maybe not all I want, but there’s no point in paying the expensive shipping expenses to get it from the states.Hopefully, a carpenter will move into town soon, and I’ll get him to build me a new desk.This will work until that happens.”
“Are you caught up on your work from being away?”she asked.
Everett sighed.“There’s some more paperwork to do.We had a big order this week, and I was working on that instead of doing paperwork.I’d much rather be in the sawmill.”
“And this land...Is all of it going to be harvested?”she asked, thinking about how sad it was the trees were being cut down.
“Not at all.I put an x on the trees to cut.We only take one out of every four trees, leaving enough that the forest will renew itself.”
“That’s wonderful!”Belle said.
He smiled.“I wouldn’t want to live in Alaska if it wasn’t so beautiful.”
