People
long ago, they used take out their hat, put it in the air and
whichever way the wind blew they would put the back of the house
to it. They made their houses of mud and stone and they thatched
the roof. They made their houses near water so their wife would
be able to get water.
They
killed the pig and salted it and put it in a barrel to keep it
fresh. They kept cows for milk and some of it was churned into
butter. They also kept chickens for eggs and they kept a horse
to pull the cart to bring the milk to the creamery and the trap
to bring them to mass or town and used the horse for pulling the
plough. In the house they had no electricity, they had an open
fire, which they had a crane hanging across the fire and they
hung the kettle to boil water, a pot to boil the potatoes and
a griddle to make bread. They had small windows and a half door
to keep the hens out. They had a tilly lamp for light. The walls
were white washed and the floors were big flat stones. The mattress
and pillows were made of feathers. On the dresser they had the
expensive cups and dishes on top and as it went further down it
was less expensive. Below the dresser the hen was kept laying
the eggs and after they laid a few they sold them and whoever
they sold the eggs to, they gave a dozen to them and one more
for luck.
They
cut hay with the scythe and then they turned it with the pike,
then after about four days of sunshine they would make winds and
put ropes across them to stop them from blowing away. After two
weeks they would bring it in with the haycart to a haggard and
make a reek or a storecock. There would be nine or ten men there
and after the hay, they would be cutting the oats with a reaping
binder and then they would make stooks and leave them there for
seven or eight days. Then they would bring it to the haggard and
wait for the thresher to come round. Then they would bring it
to the crusher and bring it up onto a loft for the animals in
winter. And then all the neighbours gathered around the crossroad
and had music and dancing.
