Deep snow, bob sleds and carry'n firewood. Way back in the "olden days" of the early 50's we had a blizzard. It was in the area of about 12" of the heavy stuff. It stuck to everything it hit and even broke down several tree limbs it was so heavy. Of course vehicles just wouldn't travel in it back then. The road commissioner didn't have a grader-only a catapillar with a drag behind grader. They didn't move that equipment unless it was in the summer. What did we do in these winter storms? We did the best we could. We walked, drove the team of horses, used a tractor or just didn't bother goin. We were self sufficent to the point of not needin anything for a long time. No Wallysworld stores back then and not much money to buy things with either. Well anyhow, ole Jeep and I built a bobsled from some oak lumber layin around. We used it to haul firewood to the front porch. Much easier than trippin through that deep snow. Had to keep the fires burnin because wood heat was all we had. The old Home Comfort wood cookstove was always just a jumpin and usually a big pot of soup a simmerin slowly at the back of the stove. Anybody that came in hungry, cold and tired----the soup always worked wonders. Snow ice cream was also a very welcomed site back in those days. The snow was pure white and not polluted like it would be these days. I'm sure it was polluted to some degree with all the wood smoke in the air but we didn't care. Fresh cow's milk, bunches of sugar and we were in business. It seemed to me to be much colder winters back then but maybe we just didn't have the heavy winter clothes we have now. I remember the old black knee high gum boots. Your feet would freeze in the summertime!! In the winter it was impossible to feel your toes after about 10 minutes in the cold. Even when we didn't have snow the old Chevy's just wouldn't hardly start when it got below freezin! I guess times have changed so much those olden days are jut something tucked into a crevice of my old brain. I'm sure they happened--my feet are STILL cold! One of the things about the "good old days" that wasn't so pleasant. Matt. 24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), November 25, 2000

Answers

Hoot,

Thanks for the stroll down memory lane. I too recall the harsh winters of my childhood living in western NYS. Only it wasn't the 50's so much but the 60's i remember. It was the same, nothing moved and nobody went anywhere.

We got by though with being self sufficient and had a wood stove and furnace. and as for those dog gone boots......... i was just thinking about them the other day, those darn things were awfully cold and i recall having ice in my toes one tiome when dad made me go to the woods to help haul firewood. it was the dead of winter and he hitched up the horses and away we went. I must have been all of 11 yrs old then and after 20 mins I cried my head off cause my feet were cold and numb!

I remember my mother used to make fresh bread and then this wonderful beef stew on the woodstove. I also remember the electric being off for what seemed like months but was really days!

Living here in VA is a lot like the good old days of yesterday when it snows, we are in such a remote rural area and it gets pretty deep here. One thing I don't miss is the lake effect snow off of Lake erie and driving in the stuff. I have a few horror tales to tell one day about driving in the snow.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), November 25, 2000.

Well I remember that the 50's were great here in Western NY during the long winters with lake effect snow storms. No one really cared if you were snowed in for a couple of days. The house was always warm and there was always enough to eat. With all the electronic equipment the weather man has now he still can't forcast the snow. Now that I'm retired it doesn't matter any longer. After 40 yrs. working outdoors in all kinds of weather I feel it's someone else's problem now. I can finally enjoy those stormy days and make the best of it by finding things to do and good reading to fill the hours. The storm we had this past week wreaked havoc for the people working in the city and with all the modern equipment available the roads were bad. My daughter and son inlaw made it home from work after 16 hrs on the road when the normal ride home only takes 40 min. Times were different when I was a boy. Everyone is in a hurry now. I still like the quiet that a storm will bring when nothing is moving and life seems to be at a stand still. It seems to bring the good out of neighbors when they come around and help others. Take Care.

-- Gerald S. Rozanski (Grozanski56@cs.com), November 25, 2000.

The "Great Blizzard" of my time came, in March of 1957 to where I lived in Western Kansas.

I don't know how much snow fell, but it came with such a wind that produced great drifts. If it had been packed more solid, the cows could have gone into the hay mow to eat. Our old chicken house, converted from a home/general store combination of pioneer days, had snow to the peak of it which gave great sledding with the new sled I had received for Christmas. It also meant that there was so much weight that rafters started cracking, so the roof had to be scooped off. In town the deepest drift came in at over 20 feet deep. The state highway was opened after about a week with bulldozers and crawler tractor loaders. The railroad used a "rotary plow" to open their tracks.

Unlike many people today, we were much better prepared for snows and other weather. On our farm we had two racks, each some 60 feet long by about 20 feet wide that we stored bundles of feed in for the cattle. The front of each rack had bars that the cows could place their heads between and be fed right from the rack. Feed from these racks was only used when we couldn't get to the feed shocks in the field. When the cattle weren't being fed, they used the racks for windbreaks for shelter. We had two pretty good sized barns, but there was around 50 cows and their calves to shelter.

The tractor was worthless in snow this deep, but after 14 days we did take it to town for some new grocery supplies and the mail.

The blizzard left us without electricty for 10 days and we had great fun. We played a lot of card games in the evening, especially "Rook" which was dad's favorite. Of course lighting was done with a kerosene lamp. Heating and cooking were done with fuel oil stoves. We had a root cellar filled with food, flour to bake with, so we got along just fine. Also a freezer full of food on an unheated cold porch. Those in the city that relied on the store to stock their food for them weren't so well off.

I was ten years old and don't remember the cold like some of you others. As for me, the blizzard was more fun than extra work. Doubt dad had the same sentiments though.

I agree that we did used to have more and greater snows. While I do miss them, I don't like to scoop snow so I'll pass on them. Still though, I wouldn't mind getting a little work for my tractor this winter here in the city. Just what do you charge to clean a drive way anyway? In the past I've always just done it for friends for zip and what comes back at me another time.

-- Notforprint (Not@thekeyboard.com), November 25, 2000.

Hey Hoot was this storm in January of 1953? I was born in October of 1953 and I thought there might just be a connection. LOL

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), November 26, 2000.

NY. Jan. 1965. No phone, electric. Deep snow. Every Mom in the neighborhood 'guarding' the 'hill' from a plow so we kids could sleigh ride! I'll never forget that day.

-- Kathy (catfish@bestweb.net), November 26, 2000.