A Brick in the Valley

I grew up on a farm in Southeast Iowa near the town of Keosauqua.  When my parents first started farming, my dad had a second job, so when I was 8 and 9 years old I was responsible for taking care of the animals in the evenings.  It was especially hard during short winter days.  I can still remember cold, dark evenings, with the wind cutting into my face and wire bucket handles digging into my fingers.  Sometimes water would splash onto my coveralls and freeze.

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