Memories Of Winter 1940 & 1950

(This was written for the Regina Women’s Network December 2010 Newsletter) 

 My early memories of this time of year are when I grow up on the family farm near Cut Knife, SK during the 40’s & 50’s. Our house had a kitchen, living room, porch and one large upstairs bedroom

My 6 siblings and I were raised in a happy and nurturing environment. There were usually 5 of us children home at one time. My fondest memories were of sweet ordours of Mom’s baking. She also would make candy by boiling sugar and syrup and pour it on the snow that sat in a tub on the back of the coal burning stove. I loved the funny designs it made.

The tub of snow melted and the water was used for washing clothes or for us to bathe in. The bathing always took place in kitchen, using a large round tub, and generally on a Saturday afternoon.

One’s home could never escape the noise of children and we were no different. During our play we often ended up fighting for our “rights”. On winter days and evenings I would enjoy playing outdoors in the large snowdrifts around our home.  The tunnels my siblings & I made were big enough for us to crawl and even sit up in.

I had to help with the “chores”. These would consist of bringing in the wood & coal for the cook stove, going to the barn to care for the cattle, chickens and pigs.

            The one-room school Christmas concerts were the high light of the season. The songs, funny plays, and anticipation of Santa Clause delighted me greatly.  I remember Mom bundling me in a snowsuit and Hudson Bay blankets for the sleigh ride to the concerts. Cars had difficult times running on the country roads in the winter.

I had to walk half a mile to school and being bundled warmly with scarves & mitts I could hardly see were I was going. The snowdrifts took great effort to walk through.

The most comforting of all memories were the bedtime stories Mother read. These stories still linger in my head. 

In 1951 when I was 13 years old Dad bought us skis for Christmas. I would spend many hours skiing down the hill that was behind our barn. I never was bored for something to do.