I remember sledding down the hill on a shovel, using the handle in front to us like holding onto the reigns of a horse. Of course, that was after shoveling out the manure in the barn, with that same shovel.

We grabbed breakfast at the door from our mother, which we ate as we walked to school, uphill in the snow.

Once we got into the schoolhouse, we took off our coats, but left our boots on. After a half an hour, that coal fired pot belly stove started heating up the one room. The manure started to melt off our boots, and stayed with us all day long. We thought that is the way book learning is supported to smell.