1st blizzard of the season!

[monarch64]

That has me thinking it may have been the blizzard of 78 and not 79.
I know we got hit bad both years but cant remember which was worse.

My family moved back to IN (from Fort Lauderdale!) in August of '78 and I was just a year old, so I don't remember either blizzard. Looks like they both took place in January so it's easy to see how the two would blend together in memory.

I do remember snowstorms in the 1980s, and snowsuits, and sledding, and building snow forts out of plowed snowpiles in the turnaround of our driveway. My dad had a Jeep and a plow, and he plowed our drive and most of the country road we lived on, and any neighbor's drive that was paved as opposed to gravel. I remember my mother calling us in because she thought we'd freeze to death and I remember NEVER thinking "I'm cold!" We went to a school outside our assigned district so therefore didn't ride the bus. If my mom thought it was too slick/snow-covered to get up and down the hills on the way into town, we didn't go to school whether it was cancelled or not. We also had livestock to tend and it wasn't uncommon for "country" kids to miss school making sure livestock had food and water. My dad used to drive the Jeep down to the pond when it was frozen over and chop up the edge with an axe so animals could get to water. One year he lost his footing and fell in up to his knees, and it was a terrifying experience for me--I didn't yet know how to drive (learned when I was 12 so I must have been about 8-9 the year that happened) and for a moment my mind was racing to figure out how I would get him back to the house if he couldn't drive! LOL

Winter is really pretty but it sure is inconvenient.

 

[Calliecake]

Loved your story @monarch64 . It reminded me of one of my nieces. Her favorite thing to do was play in the snow. She would stay outside bundled up sledding for hours and always say “I’m not cold” when we would tell her to come in! Her brother would come back home after 10 minutes complaining it was too cold out.

Does your daughter love being at the farm?

 

[Karl_K]

What is sad is the kids around here never go out in the snow, they sit around in the house playing video games all the time.
It makes me really sad.
I never wanted to be in the house and camped overnight in my backyard snow fort more than a few times in different years.

 

[monarch64]

@Karl_K and @Calliecake my daughter joined the Cub Scouts this year! October, 2017 marked the first time females can be Cub Scouts. She loves it! One of my good friends, whom I've known for nearly 30 years, has a daughter one year older than mine, and she is also in Cub Scouts. My daughter's entire den, save one boy, is comprised of girls. When I grew up, my mom was a Den Mother and I remember my brother getting to do so many fun things like Pinewood Derby, special ceremonies, etc. I was in Brownie Scouts and I think we earned badges for nature and selling cookie and talked about nail polish. LOL.

So yes, that was my long-winded way of saying my daughter loves the outdoors, and the farm, and being outside in general. Her father and I have both taken her camping and while we don't do overnights yet, she is super into the whole concept.

Thanksgiving pics:

 

[AprilBaby]

What state are you April? Up here in Maine we got 7 inches Thanksgiving eve and day! stay safe lady!

We are all in illinois. I ended up with 5 inches and a full day at work.

 

[AGBF]

Last night I looked up blizzards that affected my area (New England) and found that the one that pounded us was the blizzard of '78. When I came onto Pricescope today I didn't expect to find that everyone knew about that blizzard. I guess it affected areas besides New England! I am guessing that the blizzard of '79 did not hit our area hard.

I will have to go back and use the links to read more about the two blizzards. Thanks for all the research, everybody. And keep the personal stories coming!

 

[AGBF]

When I grew up, my mom was a Den Mother and I remember my brother getting to do so many fun things like Pinewood Derby, special ceremonies, etc. I was in Brownie Scouts and I think we earned badges for nature and selling cookie and talked about nail polish. LOL.

My mother was a den mother for my brother's Cub Scout Den, too. And she was the Girl Scout Leader (the Assistant) for my Brownie Troop. I do not recall thinking my brother was having great fun in The Cub Scouts, though. I guess he didn't, either. I went on to be a Girl Scout but he never went on to be a Boy Scout. Or if he did, I don't remember it.

I love your Thanksgiving photos, Monnie.

 

[AGBF]

My family moved back to IN (from Fort Lauderdale!) in August of '78 and I was just a year old, so I don't remember either blizzard. Looks like they both took place in January so it's easy to see how the two would blend together in memory.

I do remember snowstorms in the 1980s, and snowsuits, and sledding, and building snow forts out of plowed snowpiles in the turnaround of our driveway. My dad had a Jeep and a plow, and he plowed our drive and most of the country road we lived on, and any neighbor's drive that was paved as opposed to gravel. I remember my mother calling us in because she thought we'd freeze to death and I remember NEVER thinking "I'm cold!" We went to a school outside our assigned district so therefore didn't ride the bus. If my mom thought it was too slick/snow-covered to get up and down the hills on the way into town, we didn't go to school whether it was cancelled or not. We also had livestock to tend and it wasn't uncommon for "country" kids to miss school making sure livestock had food and water. My dad used to drive the Jeep down to the pond when it was frozen over and chop up the edge with an axe so animals could get to water. One year he lost his footing and fell in up to his knees, and it was a terrifying experience for me--I didn't yet know how to drive (learned when I was 12 so I must have been about 8-9 the year that happened) and for a moment my mind was racing to figure out how I would get him back to the house if he couldn't drive! LOL

Winter is really pretty but it sure is inconvenient.

I love your recollections. Add to that: ice skating. We had no real body of water we were allowed to skate on nearby. (A few miles away were frozen ponds, but they required parents to drive you to them and parental supervision and parents were not available for driving very easily in those days. Most families had only one car and if a mother stayed home her job was not to take children around to events!)

But we had "the swamp" in the woods behind my parents' house and the house of some neighbors next to my parents on both sides. In winter the swamp froze. The water in the swamp wasn't deep, not "over your head" so little kids could skate there without danger even if the ice might not be solid. All of us kids in the neighborhood "skated" there. It was very cramped, but we made it work. We used skate guards (Big bulky rubber guards) to tramp down from our houses wearing our skates or we changed to skates on the ground and skated as we taught ourselves to do. We never got cold and never got tired, either.

 

[Karl_K]

@monarch64 kewl glad she is enjoying the cub scouts.
She sounds like a great kid!

 

[Ellen]

It's been spitting snow here off and on this morning. I love it! There was a time within the last 10 years that I wondered if we would ever get snow again. It not only wasn't snowing, it was not unusual to have 60-70 degree days in Nov. and Dec. I hated it.

 

[AprilBaby]

A few flakes falling but the sun is also out for the first time in days!

 

[Bonfire]

What is sad is the kids around here never go out in the snow, they sit around in the house playing video games all the time.
It makes me really sad.
I never wanted to be in the house and camped overnight in my backyard snow fort more than a few times in different years.

I agree. Personally I think one of the most important things we can teach and share with our children and grands is the love of being outdoors and respecting and loving nature, in all seasons.

 

[Arcadian]

Ok Northerners...keep y'alls cold weather UP THERE!! Some of us had enough and thats why we're here!!

This morning it was 43 degrees when I went to walk the dog. Thats awful.

 

[missy]

Ok Northerners...keep y'alls cold weather UP THERE!! Some of us had enough and thats why we're here!!

This morning it was 43 degrees when I went to walk the dog. Thats awful.

That is a heat wave here for us @Arcadian
But seriously yesterday the wind chills were in the teens? IDK but it was freaking freezing here and today is even colder. We walked a long way yesterday and I was super cold despite being in my heaviest of winter gear. Yup I don't care what the calendar says but like Thanksgiving Winter came early this year. C'mon Spring...

 

[missy]

What is sad is the kids around here never go out in the snow, they sit around in the house playing video games all the time.
It makes me really sad.
I never wanted to be in the house and camped overnight in my backyard snow fort more than a few times in different years.

Totally agree with this. I love all 4 seasons despite my complaints (LOL) and cannot imagine not experiencing snow and autumn leaves changing and the fresh spring air and flowers growing and the heat of summer and the refreshing ocean breezes. Nope I want it all and while I don't love the extremes you gotta take the good with the bad. But it is a shame for the children who don't get outside and enjoy the seasons and the fresh air and just being a carefree kid. Stuck inside glued to the smart phones and video games etc. Thank goodness my sister and BILs don't allow that and their kids are outside playing often and not inside on a computer. It really is up to the parents to show their how to live and enjoy the best life.

 

[AprilBaby]

I think I would miss winter and snow if I moved to a different climate.

 

[Calliecake]

@monarch64 , Your post made me smile. My young niece is obsessed with farms and barns. When I noticed the tractor in one of the pictures she would have been thrilled. Your family farm looks so peaceful and beautiful. I’m glad it brings both you and your daughter joy.

 

[missy]

Speaking of nieces and snow...






It is all about perspective isn't it. I might be eating these words but OK bring on the snow (let's just keep it reasonable OK ). Tis the season and all that jazz and you can always look forward to warming up with your beverage of choice after all the snowy cold excitement.