Thursday, July 30, 2009

Winter Days

Winter was a lot of fun when I was in the second grade. Since all the families in the Dundee N.Y. community decided to home school.

Right after breakfast we would go to one of the bedrooms that Mom had turned into a schoolroom. After we were done with our lessons for the day John and I were free to do whatever we wanted to.

We enjoyed playing in the snow or run out in the barn and feed hay to our horse, Jim. It was fun to let him eat out of our hands. His soft velvety lips felt good as he gently got the hay from our hands.

On the colder days we would watch Mom quilt or sew. We used to get a little chair and pull it up beside her and say. "Tell us about when you were a little girl" She would smile a little and start in by saying. "A long time ago there was a little girl with big brown eyes." John, David, and I would settle in comfortably as she told us about how she would ride with Grandpa to the ice house during the summer and how she and her sister Lydia had to take turns to go along.

It was hard to imagine her as a little girl but she was good at telling stories and before long it seemed as if we were transported back in time running along beside her as she ran to catch the school bus and shivered with dread when it turned over in a cold snowy ditch. We learned to know all her childhood friends and could see the house she used to live in just by hearing her descriptions.

One day we were once again listening to her stories as she was sewing. She was trying to get a dress done and David wanted to have some chocolate milk. She told him to wait a few minutes until she is done sewing. She had to stand up to measure something and David once again asked for chocolate milk since she was up anyway. She wanted to sit down to finish the last seam and David being a wise little four year old thought if he would pull the chair away she would fix him his drink right away. It didn't quite work the way he planned though. Because when she tried to sit down there was no longer a chair there and she fell on the floor. We all stood there looking at her in dismay. David felt really bad about it and had to cry.

Mom got up and finished the dress. But there was no chocolate milk for anyone that day.

18 comments:

  1. Your mom must've been a great storyteller. But I sure can see that she wouldn't be amused by the disappearing chair trick!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Isn't it wonderful to hear stories about the past when you are a child....well, I must say I still DO! Thanks for sharing..... including the "chair" lesson!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I cherish memories like these--Remembering precious moments that stood out to you, as a child. It makes life so much sweeter. Now, I look forward to making these same memories with my own children.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I see now where you get your storytelling ability! From your mom! Your stories have us "seeing" what happened, too! Love this story about a mischevious little boy!
    XOXO
    Joni

    ReplyDelete
  5. what a wonderful story-thank you for sharing it with us all

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for sharing this one. I totally agree -- we can see where you got your storytelling gift!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I definitely wish I would've spent more time listening to old stories! I didn't realize how special they were until I had my own kids. Now I want to know and record everything about their grandparents, us, etc. Like on a family tree, I wish it didn't just have names, but what they did for a living and how they died. Loved the story!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. It sure is nice to have great stories like that to pass down to future generations. I'm sure that your children and grand children will really cherish your stories.

    I know how 4 yr old boys can be about their chocolate milk! hehehe The messes I've had to clean up from him making his own chocolate milk! lol

    Hugs,
    Angela

    ReplyDelete
  9. Like the others I think you did inherit a great gift...I think you should write a book!☺

    ReplyDelete
  10. Such a nice story!!
    Thanks for sharing it.
    Rosemary

    ReplyDelete
  11. You're my real, live Little House on the Prarie! Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thank you for sharing your wonderful memories. I truly enjoyed reading your story.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I too love recounting stories from my childhood... and hearing stories from my dad - about his rather large family (10 siblings). Thank you for sharing your stories. You have a lovely blog!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I wish when I was younger and my mother and/or my sisters and brothers started talking I would have written everything down...alot I remember...but now they are gone..I am not so sure anymore...their stories...or what I wanted to hear..we were a poor family...so many of us...but oh the love that abounded..I so enjoy your blog...God Bless...

    ReplyDelete
  15. Glad you stopped by, I enjoyed reading your lovely blog, I'll be back to catch up on more. Blessings!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oh dear. Sounds like no chocolate milk was a quick way for David to learn about the importance of patience. I enjoyed hearing about this memory. Hope you are having a good weekend! :)

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking time to comment. I love hearing your thoughts.