Bittersweet Farm

-Carols on the radio and the family sings along
-Laughter
-MacDonald’s coffee steaming in the cup holder
-Colored lights in the growing darkness
-Soft talking between your parents in the front seat
-They tell you it’s much longer than it probably is
-You fall asleep to the sound of weather and carols on the crackling AM radio
-You wake up drowsy when the car comes to a stop in a small town
-Lights in the countryside whizzing past the window
-Frost on the window and snow pushed back
-Cars passing with packages pushed up into their back window
-A red Jeep Cherokee with a festive wreath wired to the grill
-A candle in every window
-A driveway full of cars from different states
-Red bow on a golden retriever waiting by the mailbox
-A Christmas tree made of last years Christmas cards
-The smell of turkey roasting in the oven