Memorable Stories from My Childhood

My two sisters and four brothers lived on a dairy farm, which was located five miles North of Farmington, Minnesota. We raised dairy, beef, hogs, and horses. We worked as an interdependent family with everyone doing their part on the farm. The younger brother and sisters helped with the garden and harvested vegetables. The older brothers and sister, Peggy, worked in the barns milking, and caring for the yearlings, cattle, and horses. We didn’t have time to invent mischief because we spent every waking moment of our days working, or doing homework.

Occasionally, one of those infamous Minnesota rainstorms, which a person could see approaching thirty miles away, would slow work to a halt. The storm would begin with rain and wind howling in expectation of hail and perhaps a tornado to come. The whole experience felt exhilarating and special at the same time as nature gave us an automatic reprieve from our schedule.

Our farm had a gravel circular drive for the ease of maneuvering trucks, semis, tractors, combines, hay wagons, and other large equipment around the property. The driveway had ruts created by all the large equipment during weather and thawing spring snows, which made the driveway even more interesting to us.

When a plain storm approached, the excitement built among us. We’d run in the house, shed our shoes, don a t-shirt and shorts, and run outside. The rain poured down and filled the puddles of the driveway. We ran with glee around the driveway in the cool rain and screamed with joy. I’d stop in a puddle and perform a tap dance with my toes stuck down in the soft mushy mud among the earthworms. If a brother or sister would dare to approach, I would stand my puddle ground and splash him or her mercilessly. Mud dripped from hair, from noses and cheeks, and eyes became the bright light in a dark face giggling with messy joy. The games continued as each person endeavored to claim a new mud puddle, which created impetuous competition. We yipped, hollered, and guffawed with laughter at the hilarity of it all. We felt childhood abandonment at its very best.

When the hail pitched down on us, we’d screech with alarm, but not really. The challenge of tolerating the hail was part of the fun. We’d stand it as long as we could, and then we’d run in the house and jump into the shower, leaving a soggy pile of sloppy dirty clothes in our wake. When the troops felt clean and refreshed, we’d sit down on the braided rug in the living room, and play monopoly and card games until the onslaught discontinued. The unexpected respite felt refreshing, and so we didn’t feel remorse at the fact that we had to return to our chores when it concluded. This is one of my most precious memories from childhood.

What are your memories from childhood? Please share them with us.