En Friehyaahr Schneeschtarrem? (A Spring Snowstorm?)
Es iss Matz, der dritt Munet in unsere neier Decade. Die Grundsau hot ihre Schadde net gsehne un mer sette Friehyaahrwedder hawwe. Wolle mer? Des Yaahr die Friehyaahr schtaert am neinzeht Matz awwer yuscht uff der Kalenner. Vielmols im Matz henn mer Winderwedder ghat nooch der erscht Daag Friehyaahr un mit Schnee!
(It’s March, the third month in our new decade. The groundhog did not see his shadow and we should have spring weather. Will we? This year spring begins on March 19, but just on the calendar. Many times in March we had winter weather after the first day of spring and with snow!
Nau doh iss en Schtori as waahr iss- en Friehyaahr Schneeschtaarem! Ich meind wann ich in der erscht Grade waar, henn mer en schwerer Schneeschtarrem am erscht Daag Friehyaahr ghat! Es Yaahr waar 1958 un sell Yaahr hot es Friehyaahr am zwansichscht Matz gschtaert. Es hot zwansich Zoll Schnee mit hocher, schtaricker Wind gewwe. Die Schule henn frieher seller Daag ausglosst.
(Now here is a story that is true- a spring snowstorm! I remember when I was in the first grade, we had a bad snowstorm on the first day of spring! The year was 1958 and that year spring began on March 20. There was 20 inches of snow with high, strong winds. Schools dismissed early that day.)
Mei Daed hot en Schulbuss ge-egnet. Eb mer vun der Schul verlosse sin, hot er die Kette uff de Schulbuss Tires druffgeduh. Yaahre zerick waare Kette uff de Tires geduh warre fer sie helfe besser im Schnee geh. Ich hab gedenkt, “Der Schnee iss schun dief. Kenne mer heem faahre?”
(My dad owned a schoolbus. Before we left the school, he put chains on the schoolbus tires. Years ago, chains were put on tires to help them go better in the snow. I thought, “The snow is deep already. Can we get home?”)
Alles iss zimmlich gut gange. Mer waare yuscht baut en halb Meil vun unserer Heemet. Nau waar noch ee Hiwwel fer nuff geh. Es waar en langer hocher Hiwwel un es waar en diefer Graawe naegscht zu der Schtross. So, iss mei Daed hinnerschich gange un dann iss gschwind nuff der Hiwwel gfaahre. Es hot net gschafft, so hot er des widder browiert. Dann net zu weit vum Gippel iss der Schulbuss fescht gebliwwe! Ich waar ganz vergelschdert un hab gebrillt un gebrillt. Mei Schweschdere henn mich browiert ruhich mache awwer ich hab aaghalde brille. Mei Daed hot gedenkt es waer sicher fer uns wann mer net uff em Schulbuss bleiwwe. So sin mei Brieder noch unserer Bauerei geloffe fer der Draktor griege un uns heem nemme. Ich meind wu ich uff em Draktor am Schteh waar! Was hot’s mit dem Schulbuss gewwe? Mei Brieder sin zerick gange mit em Draktor zum Schulbuss un sie un mei Daed henn der Draktor gyuust fer es rausziege.
(Everything went pretty good. We were just about a half mile from our home. Now there was one more hill to go up. It was a long, high hill and there was with a deep ditch next to the road. So, my dad backed up and then drove quickly forward up the hill. It did not work so he tried this again. Then not too far from the top the bus got stuck! I was terrified and cried and cried. My sisters tried to comfort me but I continued to cry. My dad thought it would be safer for us when we would not remain on the bus. So, my brothers walked to our farm to get a tractor to take us home. I remember where I was standing on the tractor! What happened to the bus? My brothers went back with the tractor to the bus and they and my dad used the tractor to pull it out.)
Wann ich vun dem Friehyaahr Schneeschtarrem draadenk, kennt es nochemol so en Schneeschtaarem gewwe? Ya, gewiss! Yaahre zerick henn mer ken Computers un ken Satellites ghat fer Wedder vannenaus saage. Waricklich am zwansichscht Matz im Yaahr 1958, henn die Weddermenner an der Allentown Airport gsaat mer sette baut zehe Zoll Schnee griege. Sie waare net recht! Es macht mich schmunsle wann ich vun de Weddermenner denk nau wer sophisticated Gscharr henn fer es Wedder vannenaus saage un sie sin aa net allfatt recht!
(As I think about this spring snowstorm, could it happen again? Yes, certainly! Years ago we had no computers nor satellites to predict the weather. Actually on March 20, 1958 the weather men at the Allentown Airport predicted about ten inches of snow. They were not correct! It makes me smile when I think of the weathermen now who have sophisticated equipment for predicting weather and they are not always correct either!)
Geb’s en Schneeschtarrem am der erscht Daag Friehyaahr des Yaahr? Vielleicht!
(Will there be a snowstorm on the first day of spring this year? Perhaps!) Bis schpeeder… (Until later)… Yuscht es Bauereimaedel aus Kutzeschteddel, die Mary Laub
(Just the farm girl from Kutztown, Mary Laub)