winter 1939

I was out taking a few pictures this morning and I was once again glad as I have said to Terry time and time again these past few days . . ."I'm glad I'm the lady". This wind is still gusting from the northeast and I'm more of a "window" snow storm lover. As I was thinking about how much I love to stay warm in my cozy home during storms, I was reminded once again of my Mom.
I thought about her childhood winters and her experience when my great grandma passed away. They lived in the prairies where cold doesn't begin to describe winter. I'll give you a few excerpts of her record.

"It was February 1939. I had just turned seventeen. . . .Uncle Peter Penner came on the yard . . .we knew something must be wrong for him to come in the bad weather. He told us that Grandma had a bad stroke and he wanted me to go with him to stay with Grandma and Grandpa till she would feel better again.
The roads were drifted over and the horses kept falling into the snow up to their stomachs and would always have to jump to be able to move on. It was a terrible drive. It must have been the Lord that helped us to their place without the harnesses breaking or even the sleigh. "
She goes on to tell that they couldn't make it to the grandparents in one day and stayed the night at her aunt and uncles. It was only ten miles. By the time they got there her grandma had another severe stroke and they asked my mom to walk two miles to the train station and then take the train to Glenbush and from there find her way home.
She says " I walked along the railroad. I ran almost all the way. I was so afraid the train might come, and I had no where to go to let it pass by. There was only deep snow to fall into. I was at the station only a short while before the train arrived and I was so thankful I made it, the Lord helped me again."
When she got home her parents immediately left to go to the grandparents and the children were left to take care of the farm. My mom was the oldest. They had to water the cattle and horses. They hauled water out of the deep well with a pail. They milked the cows, cleaned out the manure put down fresh straw and brought in enough wood to keep warm at night. She says that they were on their own for 2 nights in the storm. At one point one mean horse bopped her in the nose and broke it but she had to keep going.
Once again I sit here humbled by the strength my mom obviously had. She had an indomitable strength of character I never fully appreciated while she was alive. As I have recently reread her 300 hand written pages, I realize again how blessed our family is to have had a Mom who had an inveterate trust that her future lay in the hands of her Lord Jesus.