Memories

On a small farm, as small kid growing up in the Ozark mountains of Arkansas the pond would freeze over every winter. That pond was frozen taking over my depressive emotions. All I could think about was my swimming hole was gone. I was a kid so grey skies and ice meant gone forever to me back then.

I grew up on a farm in those Ozark mountains of Arkansas. On that farm we had different types of animals including chickens, ducks, cattle, guineas for some reason, turkeys... The ducks and the cattle had loved the pond just as much with some animals loving it a bit more than I had. Accompanying the frozen…now mirror like pond was the winter world of the Ozark Mountain that had surrounded me on that farm.

Every winter I would wondered where did those cows go to forge for water in those mountains. I would find them by the pond during any other season. All winter long my brother’s, sisters, and I had well watered the ducks, chickens, turkeys, and those laughing guinea. Those ducks would swim in the trough of fresh well water that was poured rather than only drink from the water like the others.

The pond haven been frozen over was a new season for them to continue their happiness by swimming around in the trough of water. Every winter as their routine the ducks would use the freshly pumped water in the trough to swim in while the pond would freeze over. It would have probably sucked to be one of the chickens, turkeys, or guineas when this would occur. The ducks were always happy year round but where were the cattle?

The cattle were smart and probably would find a flowing creek that never froze. All they would do is sun bathe, eat grass, play in to pond during spring, summer, and fall months, and make loud mooing calls. The cattle stayed to themselves during every season. It was apparent to me that when the pond had frozen over it had no effect on them.

The cattle keep it to themselves their secret of finding a flowing creek. It was either that or my tracking them down skills eluded me. The cattle learned every inch of our farm property while forging somewhere in those mountains. Although the fall had turned it’s back on summer giving winter a grand opening for attention, school always seemed to be in session.

School was more relaxed during the winter. It was probably more relaxed because of the fall holiday of Thanksgiving colliding with the Christmas season. I had a winter break that was full of winter ice storms, but it was not long enough. The ice storms did bring more beauty to those mountains. They left everything in sight looking like a snow globe formation.

They would lay more layers of ice on the pond freezing it until the Valentine’s Day holiday was over many times. Our pond even looked like it came from a picture of a winter wonderland puzzle after the ice storms had gone away. The pond was very attractive to those with harmonious balance when ice skating! I had not skated, but if I or any of my older siblings would have had a pair I would have taken the liberty to go figure skating myself!

Each year when fall merges with winter I am reminded how there is always a long thaw before beauty is unlocked. Nowadays I apply the ethics of the frozen pond toward my dating life, my business life, and my pioneering life. Everyone and the farm animals appreciated the refreshing feeling of the fresh water in the pond when it was unthawed. I and few others and myself enjoyed the beauty of the pond during the fall months, during the start of and during the lingering of the long thaw.