Winter in the Midwest can be brutal. Amish families endure the elements in a way most modern Americans don't have to. Can you imagine hitching up a horse after dark on a cold winter's night just to go to your children's school function? How about when the temperatures are below zero, there is ice on the road, and you have no heater or defroster in your vehicle. Don't forget there won't be electricity in the barn or any turning on the lights quickly so you can see what you're doing while you hitch up the horse.
Horses, however, are tough creatures. They, like buffalo, can calmly nibble at grasses on a snowy field when the temperature is below zero. They willingly pull a buggy through a curtain of snow. The picture above was snapped during a moment when the wind chill was negative 20 degrees. If you pass a row of buggy horses waiting at the hitching rack they all have a nice warm blanket wrapped around them. No kidding, Amish folks are quite devoted to their horses' well-being.
Amish Children find fun games to play outside during cold weather. This hand-held game connects the players, unlike most hand-held devices children are connected to these days.
My wife and I enjoyed some hand-held outdoor fun a few weeks ago as we walked from shop to shop in the Amana Colonies to complete our Christmas shopping.
Winter days are short but the season can seem long while we wait for spring to bring new life to our fields and gardens. May I suggest a great pastime for those long winter evenings by the fire?
Why not curl up with a good book and a hot cup of something delicious to drink.
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