Farm Life - snowdrifts and icicles

by Roger Hill

The first snowfall of this winter recently reminded me a little of January 1963. The local primary school was within walking distance, so the four of us had no excuse but to attend.

It was more of a mountaineering expedition for our little legs, but for six weeks we climbed ten feet snowdrifts. No machinery in those days to clear the roads, which had been filled with drifting snow from adjacent fields. Our headmistress, who lived in the village, provided corn beef sandwiches every lunchtime - so much so that it put me off of them for several years.

Throughout the sixties and seventies we had a succession of cold winters. Even our grammar school geography teacher predicted a return to an ice age!

I recall in 1978 having to jump out the kitchen window to start the morning milking. The fear was that if I had opened the door, a huge drift of snow would have slid inside. 1979 saw thick ice enveloping trees and power lines. The eerie sound of cracking branches and the danger of falling shards of ice was very frightening.

Today the planet appears to be on a knife edge, but I am positive in wishing you all a very happy and peaceful new year. ‘Til next time, Roger #TuppertheTractor (tupperthetractor.com and quoitatcrossvineyard.com)