It is blowing snow flurries fast and furious as I type this.
The winds are gusting between fifteen and twenty five mile
per hour. Some gusts remind me of the eerie, yet comforting
sound of the wind blowing around the eaves of our house in Pa.
The louder the winds howled, the deeper I burrowed under
my load of hand made quilts piled on my bed.

We had a coal furnace in our home and at night my Dad
banked the fire before going to bed and since the bedrooms
of that old huge house were on the third floor and no heat
reached the rooms because all doors were kept shut to enable
the warmth to stay in the living quarters.

When getting ready for bed, you moved at lightening speed to
get out of your street clothes and into your flannel nightgown
and literally ran for the bed. I recall of bringing my feet
and legs up into a fetal position and folding my long
nightgown around them as I tried to get warm.


After five or so minutes my body heat and the weight of those
quilts made me feel snug as could be. Gradually, I stretched
my legs out & relaxed my body as sleep took over. I hated
to be called to wakefulness the next morning because the
comfort of those quilts were such a delight to me.

I would look out of those big windows and sometimes I could
see snow swirling furiously through the air and other times, one
could not see out of the windows because the glass was glazed
completely over from frost.


It was at those times I could have won any race in getting
dressed in the morning. My teeth would be chattering as I
emerged from my bedroom and raced down that spiral staircase
to eat breakfast and enjoy the wonderful warmth of that coal fired
furnace. The smell of freshly brewed coffee hung heavily in the
air and warm toast with home made preserves really hit the spot.

I love to recall the good times of my youth and when painful days
are here or sad times arrive, I only have to recall of those days
and the smile comes flying across my face.


I had lots of sad times, but one must try to remember the good and
happy times and one of the best memories I have is when Jesus
came into my cold heart and made it warm with His Love.

Ann Fisher
©2010, December 12