Shivering by the Wood Stove
Vera Guthrie
Howcan you shiver by a wood stove you ask? Well I will
will
tell you:
Seeing the first snow of the year brings back many
memories. I can remember playing in the
s n o w,
having snowball fights, the usual
kid things and of course getting
out of school early or better
yet school being closed.
However one very sweet
memory is Snow Cream. As
soon as it started snowing we
started asking Mama if we
could make Snow Cream. Her
replies were much like that of the
weather forecast, we had to make sure it was a “deep”
snow, there could not be any ice in it, and we had to get
clean snow, so in other words NOT off the ground.
We would watch out the window for hours and listen
for any ice pellets hitting the tin roof of the house. If all
was good Mama or my sister would go get a heaping
bowl of snow. As we huddled around the table Mama
would work her magic. She would sprinkle in sugar, add
some vanilla flavoring and milk and stir until we had a
sweet slushy bowl of goodness. Now because my sister
liked chocolate she always made a bowl of Chocolate
Snow Cream by adding chocolate milk instead of white
milk. Keep in mind there is not a recipe for making
Snow Cream ,it is a talent. We would all get our bowl of
Snow Cream and pull a chair up close to the wood stove
to eat the best stuff ever to fall from the sky as we
shivered.
Mama herself huddled up to the wood stove eating
Snow Cream and shivering. In those days of simple
pleasures we all did our share of shivering, enjoying our
treat, laughing and talking about the weather, the books
we read, school, the coming years’ garden. We would
soon forget how cold we were as we were warmed
through and through by the closeness we felt with
Mama and the warmth of the old wood stove.
In this fast paced life sometimes it’s the simple things
that bring us joy, don’t let those opportunities slip by,
seize the moment!!!
17
835 Reynolda Road
Winston-Salem, NC 27104
336.659.9100