New schedule for the Old Farmer's Daughter

The Old Farmer's Daughter 

Is going to start posting periodically

As seasonal posts come up.

This is an effort to avoid repeating myself.

I thank all my followers and if you are not

following on my blogg or via blogger

I hope you will consider doing so

so that you don't miss any of my great upcoming stories !

Snow Days

Snow Days.

Didn't we all love them! 

A play day, a fun day, a romping in the snow day. 

Unfortunately they were few and far between.
If the side road was impassable The Old Farmer's children

had to hike to the top of the hill on the main road to catch the bus! 

When we had one we made the most of it.
One of this Old Farmer's daughter favorite memories of a day at home

would be when The Old Farmer's wife covered a card table with
a blanket to make a tent, a cave, an igloo! 

We would use a dining room chair as a doorway
to crawl into the cozy space. 

When getting outdoors in our snowsuits

we would play fox and goose, making concentric circle paths

in the snow with a cross through them to a safe space in the center. 

When the fox caught a goose (one of the other players)

they became the fox until they could catch a "goose". 

There was a lot of slipping and falling down in the 

bulky suits which were hard to move in! 

Hot Potato

It was really cold out and The Old Farmer 

decided it was time to take us out into the wild

for a cookout. The old fashioned way.
None of these civilized picnics with the grill and charcoal stuff. 

We trekked through the snow to the field at the far side of the garden

from the farmhouse. There The Old Farmer lit a wood fire

and got it going good. We picked up any sticks and limbs we

found around to help stoke it. 

When there was a good bed of coals he put foil wrapped potatoes

deep back under them, pushing with a stick.
Then we had to wait, and wait, "how much longer!" 

Sitting in the snow around the fire we shivered and chatted for an hour,

until the taters would be ready. 

When the Old Farmer deemed it had been long enough
he raked the foil packages out with another stick,
digging until he found them all. Hot potato, hot potato!
Tossing from hand to hand to unwrap them hot potatoes

which were charred on the outside and did not look to appetizing! 

Ah, but inside they were light and fluffy
and so good to have something hot to eat on that cold day outside. 

Skating on the Pond

Cold Cold Cold

Like we are having now. 

It is time to check the pond and go ICE SKATING! 

Before we were allowed on the ice the old farmer would

sweep snow off the edge to see how thick it was.

If 3" or more he would edge out farther into the ice

and check again. 

And he would show us how to check. 4-5" was good to go.
It was amazing how clear the ice might

be so you could see how thick it was. 

Then let the fun begin! 

Someone would start with the snow shovel

and make paths until there was a large clear area. 

We were warned to stay away from the left side

along which there were muskrat holes and thinner places in the ice. 

At the far end a spring ran into the pond so that was thinner too. 

So when deemed safe we spent many a winter day
down on the pond. Just skating back and forth.
The neighbor boys would play hockey. 

Occassionally the top of the ice would get wet with snow on it

then the ice would refreeze all tiny bumpy and be unusuable,
pretty much for the rest of the winter :   ( 

Play safe everyone!~ 

Happy New Year 2018